Hermione and the Pirate Daydream Charm
by lateBloomer04
Summary: What happens if Hermione performs one of the Weasley twins' Daydream Charms and meets the supposed man of her dreams, Will Turner? A mix of HP and PotC. It follows the general HBP plot. Complete with EPILOGUE!
1. Peer Pressure

Disclaimer: Hermione, Ginny and the other HP characters belong to JKR, not me. Jack and Will from PotC belong to Disney.

Hermione and the Pirate Daydream Charms

This story contains mild spoilers for Half-Blood Prince, so be warned.

Ch. 1: Peer Pressure

"Hey Ginny, wait up!" Hermione breathlessly called out to her friend. Although Ginny was one year younger, Hermione often spent time with her as well as with her friends Ron, who was Ginny's brother and Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived.

"Gin, are the rumors that are floating around true?" The flaming-haired fifth year skidded to a stop in the Hogwarts great hall. "You _actually _performed a daydream charm on yourself right before your History of Magic class?" Ginny turned around to face her genius friend, her grin confirming that the story was true.

"Yep, I did!" she exclaimed smugly, as they walked toward the Gryffindor table to each lunch. "Fred and George actually made something worthwhile to use for a chance. Oh, it was so wicked, Hermione, you should've been there!" The bushy-haired prefect gaped at her in awe, and muttered something about disrupting lessons. "What?" Ginny threw up her hands, in indignation. "It's not like I hurt anyone," she said, plopping some beef casserole on her golden plate. "In fact I'm sure I brightened everyone's day when they noticed me drooling on the desk during Professor Binns' speech about goblin rebellions. Yeesh, that ghost has a monotone that can give even the hardiest listener a headache." Hermione giggled in agreement, and changed the subject to Ginny's current boyfriend.

"So how's Dean been?" Ginny had been dating the dark-skinned 6th year since the end of last term.

"Oh, you know, it's been fun…but all relationships have their ups and downs. Right now Dean is in this overprotective stage; he never wants me to do things for myself if he can do them for me. I suppose I should be grateful, after all that's what most girls want, right? But I'm not really sure if that's what I want…" Hermione nodded thoughtfully, enjoying her strawberry torte.

"Have you talked to him about this?" Ginny nodded. "I've tried, but it seemed like he wasn't really listening. You know how boys are; they never hear a word unless the conversation turns to Quidditch. _Then_ they are all ears," she complained, rolling her eyes. "And speaking of strange male behavior, have you seen my brother lately? He's been egging on poor Lavender Brown; I caught them snogging in a broom closet last night." At this, Hermione grimaced, her eyes staring at the dirty floor.

"Oh," Ginny whispered. "I'm sorry, 'Mione, I just forgot. Geez, I'm so insensitive sometimes.

"Don't worry about it," Hermione told her, with more enthusiasm than she felt. "Really, I mean, I don't know what I saw in that pigheaded brother of yours…no offense." Ginny laughed, relieved that her friend wasn't angry at her.

"None taken. Well, I'd better be off; I've got DADA this afternoon." Hermione smirked, thankful that she didn't have DADA again until next week. The class had always been extremely demanding but it was especially so this year. That was probably due to the fact that the student body's "favorite" Professor was now teaching it.

"Enjoy your time with Snape!" Hermione bid her friend goodbye and set out for the library to get a jump start on her homework.

Two weeks later, to Hermione's great annoyance, the daydream charms had become some sort of a fad…many older students had mail-ordered them from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes by the dozens. They were quite the popular item, as Filch couldn't confiscate them since Fred and George had had enough sense to cast a disillusionment charm on the boxes. Even Luna Lovegood had broke down and bought one…which was strange, because it seemed she could immerse herself in perfectly good daydreams.

Well, Ms. Granger wasn't going to let some silly fad ruin her week. She was going to start on that five scroll essay on nonverbal spells that Snape had assigned and turn it in early.

"Accio Parchment! Accio Books!" She had just gotten settled on one of the comfy couches that the Gryffindor common room boasted, when Ginny burst through the portrait hole. And she was headed straight for Hermione, with a smirk on her pretty face. _Oh Merlin, she's up to something. _

"'Mione, here- " Ginny thrust an odd-shaped sparkling box into her hands. "This one is my absolute favorite; I bought another for you." Hermione stared at her, confused and a bit wary. "Go on then, open it!" Sighing, Hermione swished her wand and the box bindings disappeared, revealing a glossy pamphlet featuring a moving picture featuring a handsome youth and a swooning girl on the deck of a pirate ship. She read the pamphlet's title out loud.

"How to get the most out of your thirty minute daydream charm, pirate edition."

Hermione growled in frustration, as if someone had flung bubotuber-pus onto her brand new school robes.

"This is one of those infuriating things from the WWW joke shop, isn't it?" Ginny answered carefully, regarding Hermione the way a human would regard a Blasted-Ended Skewrt.

"Well, yes…but don't knock it 'til you've tried it, you're really missing out…" She trailed off uncertainly as the older girl gave her a death glare.

"But Ginny," Hermione castigated, "Don't you remember…we are supposed to be giving forth our best effort in our lessons, since You-Know-Who is out there. One never knows when a bit of information from class could be useful. And we, more than the other students, should be working the hardest. After all, we're the ones that will be watching Harry's back." Ginny's eyes widened a bit at that statement, but she quickly recovered. (Hermione secretly believed that her friend had never really gotten over her longtime crush on Mr. Potter.)

"But we are trying hard, Hermione," she said softly. "I know you are as concerned about the unavoidable confrontation with Death Eaters and Voldemort, but we wouldn't do well to forget to live our lives as well." Hermione harrumphed, but at least she didn't seem as peeved as before. "Besides, these daydreams give students a refreshing temporary escape from our world. Every day, they read in the Daily Prophet that someone new has been killed, or has mysteriously vanished. Perhaps it was someone close to them. What about Susan Bones? Or Hannah Abbott? Or the others whose parents, aunts, uncles, and close friends have been stolen from them by the likes of the Death Eaters?"

Hermione sighed, "Well maybe I was perhaps a bit out of line. But I'm afraid these daydreams are going to become distractions to the students…" Ginny nodded understandingly.

"Well, that could happen, but these happen to be pretty expensive, so I doubt that unless you are Draco Malfoy, students wouldn't be able to afford more than a few." Hermione was laughing now.

"Draco Malfoy, what would he want with one of those? I thought they were for girls, you know romantic fantasies and all that rubbish." Ginny swiftly corrected her,

"Well, there are those, but remember the makers - Fred and George. They cater to guys as well…mostly about winning an important Quidditch match or conquering their worst fear." Hermione was impressed by their ingenuity, even if it was wasted on something as useless as this form of 'entertainment'. "Come on, 'Mione. You deserve a break from all the hard work you've been doing. One of these would do you a world of good. In fact, they seem to have a pleasant lingering, even hours after you've performed the spell…like Cheering Charms." Ginny stuck out her lower lip in a mock pout. "Will you do it for me?"

"Oh alright then, lets take a look at this daydream charm," she said wearily, caving into Ginny's pleas. Hermione skimmed the first paragraph.

_Patented Daydream Charms_

_One simple incantation and you will enter a top-quality, highly realistic, thirty minute daydream, easy to fit into the average school lesson and virtually undetectable (side effects include vacant expressions and minor drooling). Not for sale to under-sixteens._

"That sounds simple enough, is there anything else that I should know?" Ginny nodded thoughtfully.

"Yes…a sort of glittering, transparent parchment will appear in the air when you shout the incantation. You will have to answer a few questions before the charm can take effect." Hermione narrowed her eyes, frowning.

"What sort of questions?" Ginny put her at ease once more.

"Oh they're nothing personal," she reassured the cautious girl. "They mostly have to do with the daydream…where you'd like for it to be, what kind of pirate you'd prefer, that sort of thing." Hermione squirmed uncomfortably.

"I dunno Ginny…how did you answer the questions? What kind of pirate did you get?" Clearly this was what the redhead had been waiting all afternoon for Hermione to ask her.

"Hmm, let's see now…I chose the setting to be in the Caribbean, and it gave me a few towns to choose from. I think the name of mine was Port Royal – you should go there, it's absolutely beautiful. There's clear water, white sandy beaches…"

"Okay, I get it," Hermione interrupted, stopping the youngest Weasley from rambling.

"Right," said Ginny. "Then you have to answer some questions like 'what would you want your pirate's personality to be like? His looks? His intellect? You know, specific stuff." Then Hermione finally understood.

"It's kind of like the Muggle computer game, 'The Sims'!"

"Sure," Ginny said, not knowing what she meant, but glad that she finally understood.

"And your pirate, what was he like?" Ginny smiled dreamily as she recalled her daydream, the one that'd made her drool in Professor Binns' class.

"Well, he was tan, with dark eyes, and wore the silliest pirate garb you could imagine; beaded dreadlocks, a red bandana, kohl around his eyes…but I couldn't help but be drawn to his gaze. Everything about him was incredibly sexy…right down to his crazy walk…it was part of his charm. And when this pirate looked at me, I felt that I was worth something."

He was full of wit and sarcasm, and was always making me laugh which was a pleasant change from dull old Dean. His name was Jack something…it was a bird's name," she thought hard, "Swallow." Ginny exclaimed, "Yeah, that must've been it because he showed me the bird tattoo on his right arm." Hermione was intrigued by what she'd just heard, but no way was she going to let Ginny know it._ She's right, maybe I _do_ deserve a break from my studies. After all, it's only for thirty minutes._

"Earth to Ginny!" Hermione waved her hand in front of her friend's face, and finally got her attention. "Quit thinking about that silly pirate! It's just a fantasy. Now, is there anything else that I need to know?"

"Oh, yes! The last question asks how you want to alter yourself in one way." Hermione frowned as she hadn't expected this.

"Well what did you say?" Ginny rolled her eyes again, as if this was a no-brainer.

"I asked to be taller, of course! I hate being so short…it's so inconvenient." Hermione smiled nervously, wondering how in the hell she would answer that one. Perhaps a few years ago she would've wanted her front teeth reduced, but that had already happened. _Hmm, I'll have to ponder that one._ "So what'd you think?" Hermione pretended to be as disinterested as before.

"Well it was awfully nice of you to buy this for me. If I finish all of my homework by Friday, I might give it a go." Ginny wrapped her arms around her friend's neck and squealed happily.

Hermione hurried through her homework that week, so that she would be finished on Friday. That night while everyone else was socializing in the common room, she raced up into her empty dormitory, took out the box, and climbed into bed. _Here goes nothing!_ She waved her wand and said the incantation simultaneously, and was instantly transported into another dimension.

End. Ch 1

A/N: Okay, this is obviously a HP and Pirates of the Caribbean crossover…I'm sure you all can guess which pirate that Hermione is going to get, lol! Let me know if you like it…this plot bunny popped into my head as soon as I read it in HBP. Should I continue?


	2. He's a Pirate

Disclaimer: Hermione, Ginny and the other HP characters belong to JKR, not me. Jack and Will from PotC belong to Disney.

A/N: Judging from all my hits and reviews, I decided to continue. Thanks to all who gave me feedback…you guys rock! Oh yeah, and if you haven't figured it out by now, the italics are Hermione's thoughts. I'm updating as fast as I can, but I'm also working on a PotC story at the moment. These plot bunnies keep popping up everywhere…they're multiplying! So…be patient. : )

Captain-Ammie: This is my first time at one of these crossover thingies, so I hope it turns out alright. I'm glad you like it so far!

Slayer: Okay, I am now officially cool. That's awesome. Let's hope I stay that way after you read the next chapter…

Snowfire the Kitsune: Oh, I excel at cliffhangers. They come up pretty often in all of my other stories too. Thanks for the review.

Dark Ocean Eyes:You got more! I'm glad you thought it was interesting. Thanks for that.

Mystic Catface: Love the penname! Thanks for the wonderful review!

LighteningExperience: Wouldn't daydream charms be nice, lol! Johnny Depp is a brilliant actor, loved the Jack character that he created, he totally deserved the Oscar nomination, yada yada yada… However, I'm sorry hun, but there are 1.5 billion JackOC stories out there and hardly any Will ones. Besides, my penname should've given it away which pirate I'd be writing about. ;) I'm a Bloom fan and proud of it! I really think that Ginny is more suited for Jack…she has more of a fun(ny) personality like the twins. Where as I totally think Hermione'd be perfect for Will…

Dream Phantom: That's what I love to hear. I am all about the grammar, sentence structure, etc. If you don't have that, I can't stand to read your stuff, no matter how intriguing the plot is.

Miss-Serpentina: I know, I know, I'm evil and all with the cliffies. What else is new? Thanks for the complement…  You are so sweet!

SenatorSolo: Is your penname a SW reference? Megan you are soooo incredibly awesome. I can't believe that you're actually reading my stuff, lol. Wow that's kinda cool. I guess Elz was a good little saleswoman. ;) Your stuff is good too.

Ch. 2: He's a Pirate

Hermione roughly tumbled about in the air, until she stopped spinning and found herself standing in a stark white room. Mentally shaking herself, she wondered if she'd taken a faulty portkey. _Oh no, what if I've been ensnared by the Death Eaters! Voldemort got to Harry when he had Crouch Jr. transfigure the Tri-Wizard Cup into a portkey…_But then she remembered casting the daydream charm. At least she knew how she came to be in this odd place. _I mustn't fret; this is all a part of the spell. At least I still have my wand._ The young witch pondered what to do next when a cool female voice sounded, resounding throughout the room.

"Who are you!" Hermione asked in wonderment, clearly shocked at being addressed by name by a voice that seemed to come from thin air. "And how did you know my name?"

"Your name was on the box as the recipient of this daydream charm, was it not?" The voice answered in a puzzled but polite tone. _Ginny must've written my name, I suppose._

"Yes, I suppose," said Hermione. "Well, go on then. Give me your instructions." If the voice had a face it would've beamed.

"Very well, Miss Hermione. You are about to about to create your very own daydream…about Quidditch!" Hermione's shoulders slumped.

"Oh no!" She exclaimed, clearly disappointed. "I thought it was a romantic daydream about sailing on a ship with a handsome pirate."

"Only kidding!" The voice brightly replied. "It _is_ a pirate daydream."_ Those damn Weasley twins! I can't believe I fell for that._ "Let's get on with the questionnaire, shall we?" Hermione nodded eagerly, her annoyance fading as a small smile beginning to form on her face. "Where would you like for your daydream to take place?" Out of nowhere, names of places began to glow in golden letters, hanging in the air. "Tap your wand on the name to see its photograph." Hermione promptly tapped on the sparkling words 'Port Royal, Jamaica', remembering Ginny's advice. The words instantly transformed into a picturesque setting of your average Caribbean island, complete with palm trees, beaches, and a pirate ship swaying on the ocean in the background.

"I'd like to go here," she told the voice. Receiving no answer, she added, "please". The voice laughed pleasantly.

"As you wish, dear. Right - for the next part you must tap five qualities that you would like to see in your pirate." Once again, various types of adjectives materialized in the air. Skimming the shimmering words, Hermione decided on 'kind', 'loving', 'honest', and 'brave'. There was also the option of 'other' which she tapped, and swishing her wand, wrote 'good listener'.

"Venerable choices," the voice approved. "Now, on to your pirate's looks. Handsome is a given, but the specifics are up to you…" Hermione interrupted the voice before any words could appear.

"I'd like for him to be tall, with long brown hair and brown eyes," she said, firmly. _I don't want to be reminded of a certain insensitive redhead during my daydream._

"Good, good," the voice muttered. "Aha! I have just the pirate for you; I don't think there is any way you're going to be disappointed with this one." Hermione grinned in anticipation.

"Excellent! Well, thanks a lot for your help…"

"Wait just a moment, we aren't done just yet young lady," said the voice, amused at her impatience. "You still need to pick one thing that you'd like to change, temporarily of course, about yourself."

"Oh." Hermione bit her lip, thinking hard. "Er, right. Let's see, does it has to be something physical?" When the voice answered 'no', she brightened. "What I'd really like is to be less intimidating to boys. I'm known for being bossy…I'd like to be modest naturally, like most girls are."

"Alright. I'll take care of that," the voice promised. "Off you go and enjoy…but just remember, when your thirty minutes are up, a fog will descend on the ship. Once that happens, you will automatically awaken where you were when you cast the charm." Hermione nodded and was once again tossed through the air in a blur of light and sound.

The bright young witch landed softly in a crouching position. Taking in her surroundings, Hermione saw that she was hidden from view behind a pile of old wooden crates. Seagulls flew over her head. A salty scent assaulted her nose, and once she saw the swaying horizon, she knew that she was on a pirate ship. _Indeed I am, for I can feel the waves calmly rocking the ship. This is brilliant, the charm actually worked!_ _Well, I better not waste any of my precious time._ Trying to stand, Hermione stumbled and fell on her behind.

It was then that she noticed that she was no longer wearing her Hogwarts robes. Somehow, the charm had transformed her clothes into an exquisite 18th century-style periwinkle gown, complete with a corset and lace trimmings. Hermione tried to nervously run her fingers through her hair, but found that it was pinned up in a neat bun. _This is unbelievable! I'll have to congratulate those boys on how realistic and detailed their charm is. _ While an astonished Miss Granger was too busy examining her new dress, she was unaware that someone had heard her fall and had come over to investigate what caused the sound.

"Hello, Miss. May I help you up?" Hermione froze as she heard the lilting deep voice address her. She looked up and there he was; her pirate. Just as the voice had promised.

"Who are you?" Hermione was unable to stop staring at the man. Handsome was not a strong enough word to describe him. He was _beautiful_ but in a masculine sense. Indeed, he had long, thick dark hair and haunting brown eyes. The pirate wore a simple white shirt and brown pants; however his shirt was left unbuttoned. When the wind blew in a certain direction, Hermione had quite a view of his toned chest and abdominal muscles. Thankfully she still had enough sense not to squeal at the sight of his flawless tan skin; after all she was no Lavender or Parvati, who would've fainted long before now. _I'll buy Fred and George the best Christmas presents they've ever had this year. Merlin, he is absolutely gorgeous! _ But when he spoke again, all thoughts of the twins and her magical world suddenly ceased.

"My name is Will Turner; at your service, my lady." He gave her a small bow and offered her his hand. Shyly, she placed her small hand in his, and he gently pulled her to a standing position.

"I-I'm so sorry, I didn't meant to intrude or disrupt anything on your ship," she stammered. Will chuckled, and interestingly didn't seem surprised in the slightest that she had appeared out of nowhere.

"This isn't my ship; the Captain would throttle me if I claimed ownership of his beloved 'Black Pearl'. I'm his first mate."

"Oh," replied Hermione, smiling dreamily at Will. "I see." _Great, 'Mione. Way to make intelligent conversation. Come on, say something! Anything!_ "I suppose I should introduce myself – I'm Hermione Granger." She held out her hand to shake hands with Will, but he brought it to his lips and kissed it instead.

"Pleased to meet you, Miss Granger." The young witch blushed considerably at his old-fashioned gesture. She felt a pleasant shiver run down her spine as his lips grazed the tops of her hand. His lovely voice wasn't helping matters either.

"Just call me Hermione," she said, finally looking at him properly. Will nodded.

"That's a beautiful name. Have you ever read the 'Iliad'? One of the character's names is Hermione; she is Helen of Troy's daughter." She gazed at him in admiration.

"Of course I've read it!" Hermione had breezed through the ancient Muggle book when she was just eight, wanting to learn about her namesake. "You like to read!" _Oh this is so perfect; I've found an intellectual and handsome pirate._ Will colored a bit and gave her a tiny smile.

"I do whenever I can find the time. I try to borrow a good book and just get lost in it. I've liked to read since I was very young, when my mother taught me how." She grinned at him.

"I too have had a passion for reading from an early age." Will sat on one of the small crates and motioned for her to do the same.

"So, tell me about yourself, Hermione." The young witch quickly averted her eyes from his chest and made eye-contact with her new acquaintance.

"Oh, that's alright. I haven't had a very exciting life. Now a pirate's life, that's something I'd love to hear about. For instance, were you always a pirate? Tell me about your adventures!" Will pursed his lips, as he was not sure if he wanted to do that.

"It's a long story; are you sure you want to hear it?" Hermione nodded eagerly, so he gave in.

"I was named after my father, a pirate known as Bootstrap Bill…" As Will told his life's story, they walked all over the ship for Will was making his inspections. Hermione was content to listen to Will talk, and very much appreciated his action-packed story. She laughed when he got to the part concerning his best friend, Captain Jack Sparrow, who in fact owned this ship. "…In the end, I decided to sign on with Jack, and here I've stayed, perfecting my pirate ways." _Pirate ways…as in killing? Swordfighting?_

"Have you had to kill often?" She tried to keep her tone casual.

"I only kill in self-defense," Will answered, matter-of-factly. "Jack is a brilliant pirate; he knows how to pillage without causing hardly any harm to others." Hermione nodded, satisfied with his response. "Well, you've seen all of the ship except what's below – and between you and me, I'd prefer if we let the Captain sleep. He's in a cranky mood." Hermione giggled and agreed with him. "But I need to check the crow's nest. Would you like to come with me? It's a great view." The young witch eyed the lofty crow's nest warily. "Don't worry, I won't let you fall," he told her softly.

"Alright, I'll go with you," she agreed. For some reason, she felt that she could trust Will. "As long as you let me climb up first."

"Fair enough." Will watched as Hermione hitched up her petticoats and gown so that she could climb the long rope ladder. "It's easier if you don't look down." Soon she was climbing at a reasonable place with the blacksmith-turned-pirate climbing right behind her. Hermione had almost reached the top when her left foot slipped off the ladder rung. Holding on tightly with her hands, she was able to find her footing again quickly enough. But it was good to feel Will's strong hand on the small of her back, good to know that he was watching out for her. They made it into the crow's nest with no further incidents.

"Thank you," Hermione whispered. She was visibly shaken by the little mishap, so Will pulled her into a protective embrace. "I thought for sure that I was going to fall…" He stroked her cheeks, trying his best to soothe the tense girl.

"I promised I wouldn't let you fall," he pointed out. He held her for a moment and she calmed down. "Now, don't let that little slip ruin this spectacular view. He let her go, and Hermione grabbed the side of the crow's nest, gazing at the dying sun's orange rays.

"It's beautiful," she whispered. "It's so peaceful up here. Do you come here often?" Again he laughed in amusement, showing off his white teeth. _Ah, that smile. He should smile more often. It about does me in._

"I wish! No, I'm needed on deck, where Jack can get a hold of me easily. One of my duties is to supervise the crew; make sure they are working, that sort of thing." He winced, as if mentally scolding himself. "You don't want to hear all that, I've talked enough today already. So, tell me about your life." When she protested, he pressed, "I really want to hear about it! Even if you say it is boring."

"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you," she joked, relenting. _Hmm, how much can I really tell him? I'd rather not bring up the whole witch thing. _"Well, right now I'm still in school. When I'm not studying, I'm usually reading or spending time with my good friends Ginny, Harry, and Ron..."

"Wait a moment," Will interrupted, confused. "You go to school with boys?" _Uh oh. I forgot that women didn't go to school with men in the 18th century. Stupid muggles._

"Uh, it's a private academy; it's kind of an experiment to see if both sexes should go to school together." Hermione tried to 'explain' her slip of the tongue, and thankfully Will believed her story.

"And what do you think? How is the experiment working for you, going to school with boys?" Will asked, curiously. Hermione sighed, not knowing how to give a true answer.

"Well, Harry and I get along really well…" She stopped, not wanting to go on. Will took her hand gently.

"And Ron? It's alright, you can tell me." Hermione gazed into his piercing dark eyes, and saw that he truly cared about hearing her story."

"Well, to be honest, he didn't even view me as a 'real girl' until we had our first school ball. But even then he asked me as a last resort…" Hermione tearfully confided in Will the whole story behind Ron Weasley and the pain that he was causing her. "…And now he has this simpering girlfriend, and all they do is snog each other senseless. It's so unfair! What does Lavender have that I don't? He must think that she's prettier, or more fun to be with, or…"

"I'm sure that's not it," Will consoled her. "My guess would be that he really _does_ like you, but is too intimidated to tell you his feelings because he's afraid he can never measure up to you." His eyes took on a pained, far-away look, but then he was smiling once me. "You are a kind, beautiful, and very intelligent young woman, Hermione Granger."

"No I'm not," she mumbled. "You're just saying that to be nice." Will shook his head 'no'. "You've only just met me; I don't believe you." Hermione crossed her arms, not daring to believe that this dashing and kind pirate actually thought _she_ was beautiful.

"Well if that didn't convince you, then maybe this will." William Turner closed the distance between them and gave Hermione a light, chaste kiss. Poor Hermione was so shocked that she stumbled backwards.

"I-I-I….thanks." Will took hold of her hands and they gazed into each other's eyes.

"You are most welcome." Suddenly, an unnatural heavy fog began to settle around the ship. Hermione gasped as she realized that her time with Will had come to an end._ Thirty minutes flies when you are having fun. Or when you are spending time with a gorgeous pirate, who actually listens to your silly woes._

"I'm sorry, I have to go." She squeezed his hands and he let go reluctantly.

"I know," he said, understandingly, with a tinge of sadness.

"Goodbye, William. Thank you for everything!" Hermione called out, just before being enveloped by the white fog. Then she was spinning, her head was throbbing from all of the strange traveling.

Eventually, her head cleared and she found herself in her bed, in Gryffindor tower. Hermione leapt out of bed, still energized from her 'trip'. No way was she going to sleep now. Looking down at her clothes, she noted that thankfully her school robes had returned. She flew down the stairs to find Ginny studying among her peers in the common room.

"Gin!" Hermione squealed, pulling the redhead away from her Transfiguration homework and into a corner.

"What is it, 'Mione?" Ginny stared at her curiously. Hermione could barely contain her enthusiasm.

"You'll never believe what just happened to me!"

End Ch. 2

A/N: So what'd you think of Hermione and Will's encounter? Come on, I've gotten over 150 hits, I know you are reading this.


	3. Veiled Threat

Disclaimer: Hermione, Ginny and the other HP characters belong to JKR, not me. Jack and Will from PotC belong to Disney. Balian belongs to Fox and Ridley Scott. (He's from the movie 'Kingdom of Heaven'.)

LighteningExperience: So you like the Ron/Hermione idea huh? I'll keep it in mind. No, I'm not going to go into Ginny having another daydream with Jack, but if you (or anyone for that matter) want to write one, be my guest! Thanks, I rather liked that scene myself.

Salyer: Thank you so much for your sweet review! And don't worry, I plan on finishing this one! Even though it may take awhile…

Psychochick2006: You are awesome too:D

Inwe-pirateelf: Glad to have you back! I'm glad you like it, lol. I was afraid my descriptions wouldn't do Will justice. (And they probably still don't) But thanks for saying so anyway!

Rcaqua2: Yay, another Orlando fan! waves hi Yeah, I like the Hermione and Will pairing too. I'm not sure if anyone's ever done that before, so I decided to take a shot at it.

Captain-Ammie: Aw, thank you so much! That's like me reading a JackOC. And I only read the really well written ones. sends a big hug

SenatorSolo: I love Will's personality…I've watched PotC a million times so he isn't too hard to write, lol. But thanks for telling me so. :D You'll have to come over and watch KoH with me once it comes out. We should go see Elizabethtown together too with Elz.

A/N: The story will follow the guidelines of HBP, with a few 'smaller' events of my own added in. Yes this is a crossover, but it is also a HP story too, so you'll get both elements.

Ch. 3: Veiled Threat

"Wow, 'Mione. To say that you liked your daydream would be an understatement," remarked Ginny. Hermione had just finished telling her friend all about Will and what had transpired on the pirate ship. "You know, I'm not really this immature as to say 'I told you so', but I will anyway. I told you so!" Hermione laughed good-naturedly.

"You were right. I more than liked it!" she admitted. "Do you know if I can have an extension on this particular daydream? I mean, I know the incantation only works once, but perhaps your brothers could figure out something." Ginny grinned at her friend's eagerness to have another fantasy experience.

"It's funny you should ask - Fred and George are working on that right now. Believe me, you haven't been the first to suggest that idea. Just don't throw your box away; they might need for you to send it back," Ginny cautioned.

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of getting rid of my box, if it means I might have a chance at seeing Will again," replied Hermione, with a far away expression. "Will you tell twins to let us know if they discover a way to lengthen the daydreams?"

"Of course I will," promised Ginny, putting her hair up in a ponytail. She shifted her feet and glanced uncomfortably at her older friend. "Er, Hermione, I hate to leave, but I've got Quidditch practice tonight. Harry called an emergency practice, in preparation for our match against Ravenclaw next weekend."

"That's alright, Gin." Hermione scanned the room to see who else she could hang out with and her gaze fell on Parvati Patil. The pretty Indian girl looked extremely downcast, with her shoulders slumped and eyebrows furrowed.

"You should go talk with Parvati; ask her why see looks so depressed," Ginny suggested, following Hermione's gaze. Sitting alone, Parvati was hunched over her homework. Every now and then she would glance up sadly at Ron and Lavender.

"I think I will. Have a great practice!" Hermione called, waving goodbye to Ginny. The Prefect crossed the room, but had to confiscate some dungbombs from some over eager first year boys before she could reach her suitemate.

"Hey, Parvati, what's up?" asked Hermione kindly, coming over to sit beside her on the couch. The Indian girl looked up from her homework in surprise.

"Oh, hi Hermione," she said gloomily. When Parvati didn't initiate a conversation, Hermione knew that something was seriously wrong. Usually, Parvati was very outgoing and friendly, although she was known as a gossip.

"Is everyone in your family alright? I couldn't help noticing that you seem a little down," asked Hermione, with concern.

"Yes, they are fine; it's nothing that serious," Parvati informed her.

"Then what's bothering you?"

"It's Lavender," she sniffled. "We've been best friends ever since first year, but now that she's going out with Ron, she never has anytime for me. I don't know why she doesn't like me anymore," Parvati confessed while Hermione gave her a comforting hug. They watched Ron kiss Lavender goodbye before he left for practice along with the rest of the Quidditch team.

"I'm sure she still likes you, Parvati. But she's caught up in her boyfriend right now; perhaps she has no idea that she's hurting you," Hermione suggested. The Indian witch sighed, and the brightened.

"Maybe you are right. Well then I hope they break up soon, because I want my best friend back! Do you think that's selfish?" she asked worriedly. _I wouldn't mind if they broke up either. Not at all._

"Not really. You have every right to want your friend back," Hermione reassured her. "Would you like me to proof read your Potions essay? Professor Slughorn expects every little thing to be perfect. I'd say he's only a minor improvement over Snape." Parvati chuckled, and gratefully accepted Hermione's help. Soon they were finished and Hermione let it slip that she'd tried one of the popular daydream charms.

"No way!" squealed Parvati. "I never would've expected that _you_ would buy one…" She realized how rude that sounded and hastily apologized. "I mean…sorry, er…it's just that you are so serious and all."

"That's all right; there's no need to apologize. Besides, I didn't buy it," Hermione admitted. "Ginny gave it to me and it took awhile for her to convince me to try it. But wow, am I glad that I did!"

Well, how was it? Tell me _everything,_" Parvati demanded, looking at Hermione expectantly. The bushy-haired witch closed her eyes, dreamily remembering as many details as she could about Will and the daydream.

"It was absolutely brilliant! I met this absolutely gorgeous pirate named William Turner, who was caring, loyal and brave. Now that I look back, if he'd been born a wizard, Will would've been a perfect candidate for Gryffindor house…" Enthralled, Parvati listened as Hermione told her story. "…And then he kissed me."

"Augh!" shrieked Parvati, clasping her hands over her mouth as other students began to turn around and stare at them. A bit more quietly she asked, "What happened then!" Hermione sighed regretfully.

"Then, my thirty minutes had run out. I barely had time to say goodbye before I awoke in my own bed."

"Rotten luck, Hermione," Parvati said sympathetically. "Perhaps you'll get to see him again. Did you hear that the Weasley brothers are developing ways for extending the charms?" When Hermione nodded Parvati plunged on. "I can't wait to see my knight again. Merlin, he was perfect…if only Hogwarts had boys like him."

"I take it you performed a charm too," laughed Hermione at Parvati's vacant expression. "A knight huh? I didn't know they made those," she mused. "So, tell me all about _your _daydream." Finally Parvati came out of her trance-like state and began her story.

"At the start, when I picked my location, I chose near Jerusalem. Ever since I took Muggle studies, I've been curious about their disputes over that sacred land. For my knight, I chose traits similar to those that you did. And I decided to make myself look thinner…"

"But Parvati, you look fine!" Hermione interrupted, disapprovingly. "You are _not_ fat. Besides, looking thinner isn't going to help you attract boys. Muggle surveys show…" Parvati beamed at her.

"I know that now. That's exactly what he told me. Now, are you going to let me tell my story or not?" Hermione apologized and Parvati continued her tale. "I landed on a bed in a deserted room. When I looked outside my window I realized I must be in a large house of some sort, as the ground was far below. In the distance I saw Muggles working the land with their animals. Not wanting to waste my time, I immediately went to go look for the knight. I ran into a man covered in dirt in the hall and I asked him, 'where is the knight who owned this place?' He laughed and said 'you've found him'. I didn't believe him because it looked as if he'd been out working in the fields himself. And from what I remember in Muggle studies, knights had tenants to do that for them…they considered themselves to be above peasants. But then a servant came by and addressed the dirt-covered man as Sir Balian, and I realized my mistake." Parvati cleared her throat and started again.

"I was so embarrassed, as you can imagine. But Balian didn't seem to mind, in fact he was rather amused at my stumbling apology. After I introduced myself, he invited me to dine with him, as he was rather hungry after working outside all day. Hermione, he had the most _incredible_ voice. By this time of course I'd noticed how sexy this knight was. Balian had haunting dark eyes, and long brown hair. Like most men of his time, he sported a small beard – and while I'm no fan of facial hair, it actually looked good on him."

"I'll take your word for it," Hermione commented, disbelievingly. Parvati glared at her.

"_Anyway_, he told me that he needed to change for dinner and for me to wait for him outside his room. But before he went inside, he stripped off his shirt to wipe off all the sweat and grime from his face." Parvati sighed dreamily, recalling her knight's extremely striking looks. "I had a brief glimpse of his chiseled body and rippling muscles." Hermione had to poke her to get her to continue. "Er, right, where was I? Oh yes, dinner. We had a delicious meal, but what I ate, I'm not sure because I was preoccupied with Balian. He asked me about myself, and for a moment I inwardly panicked. I knew very well that I couldn't tell him that I was a witch! So I just told him that I was on a pilgrimage to the holy city – which was not an uncommon thing back then – and turned the tables. His life was a sad story…his father left his mother before he was born and his wife killed herself after their child died. He'd been a blacksmith but had left for Jerusalem with his long lost father, who unfortunately died during the journey. Balian was knighted and received all of his father's lands. I told him how brave he was to have lived through all that and he gave me a genuine smile, which made me shiver.

After dinner, we went for a walk around his lands and he told me how he'd promised to fight for the King of Jerusalem if the need ever arose. When he asked about me again, I felt at ease enough to confide in him about some of my problems. While we were talking, I noticed him gazing at me appreciatively. He told me I was beautiful, if a bit too skinny. I told him it was just the dress…'Mione, did your clothes change during yours too?"

"Yes, it's a great effect, isn't it?" smiled Hermione.

"It sure was," said Parvati, a bit wistfully. I wish I'd gotten to keep mine. Anyway, I gave him a hug for the complement and he just held me there for awhile. He was so gentle with me, and then he brought my head up for a kiss. It turned into a full-blown snog…Merlin, that man can kiss! But then my time ran out."

"Wow," breathed Hermione. "Your knight sounded a lot like my pirate. Do you think Fred and George use the same model each time?" The two girls looked at each other, pondering that for a moment.

"Nah," they said simultaneously. _Parvati's not so bad after all, once you get her away from Lavender. _Just then Professor McGonagall's magically magnified voice resounded throughout the common room.

"All students must go to the Great Hall immediately; please come dressed as you are. Prefects, it is your job to ensure that everyone leaves in an orderly and calm manner." Everyone leapt to their feet in alarm and Hermione automatically looked around for Ron, who was also a prefect. _Oh no! The Quidditch team is still outside – all my good friends could be in danger!_ Thankfully, just then the portrait swung open to reveal Ron, Harry, Ginny, and the rest of the mud-splattered Quidditch team.

"Alright, first years leave first; line up behind Seamus here. He'll take you down to the Great Hall," ordered Ron. Hermione was grateful that he'd already taken charge. "Second years follow them so I can count you, then third years and so on…" In no time at all, all the younger students were safely on their way downstairs. After making sure Gryffindor tower was completely empty, the trio, Ginny, and the seventh years made their way down to the Great Hall.

When they arrived, Hermione was not surprised to see the four house tables on their sides leaning against the wall, leaving a large space for the students to congregate. The Hufflepuff and Slytherin students were already there; most of them looked bewildered as to why the entire school had been called here at bedtime. _This is just like the time the teachers thought that Sirius Black was a murderer, and they had to get everyone out of bed to search the entire castle. Something awful must've happened._ As the Ravenclaw students quietly filed in, Hermione turned to her friends to see if they knew anything.

"What happened out there? Did something disrupt your practice?" Ron and Ginny paled, as if they'd just seen a dementor.

"It was a Death Eater, Hermione," Harry quietly told her. She gasped and squeaked, "But how? You can't apparate onto Hogwarts grounds…"

"We don't know," said Harry, wearily. "I suppose that's why we've all been called down here. But in the middle of practice, a figure in a black hood can flying straight at Ginny. She shot a well aimed hex at him, but he blocked it at alarming ease. By that time, the rest of us had heard her yelling, and I told the others to stay back as Ron and I rode towards her."

"Oh, Harry! Did he try to kidnap you?" Hermione fretted. Harry shook his head.

"No, surprisingly not. He halfheartedly shot a few jinxes my way, but he seemed to be intent on marking the field. That really stumped me…why didn't the DE take out a few of Hogwarts' students?" Harry ran his hand through his thick black hair, trying to smooth it and failing miserably. "Once we had Ginny with us, the team flew straight towards the castle, away from the DE who was still circling the Quidditch field. We entered the Great Hall and saw Nearly Headless Nick was floating around nearby…we sent word to Dumbledore with him. And then we ran up to the tower to warn you, and then McGonagall's voice sounded." Hermione was going to ask him more questions but then Dumbledore appeared and the room instantly calmed.

"I am afraid that we've had an unwelcome visitor on our grounds tonight. A Death Eater was sighted during Gryffindor's Quiddich practice." At this, most of the student body gasped in horror. Dumbledore held up his hands, calling for silence. "While it is highly unlikely that he or she is still on the premises, we must take every precaution – and that means searching the entire castle. So to make up for this inconvenience, I've decided to turn this occasion into a slumber party." He flicked his wand casually, and hundreds of fuchsia colored squashy sleeping bags appeared on the floor. Students excitedly grabbed sleeping bags and dragged them into little groups so they could discuss the latest happenings. As Snape, Flitwick, and McGonagall passed the trio, they overheard something about 'the Dark Mark' and 'an empty threat'.

"Psst…Ron, Hermione…" said Harry, finally getting their attention over the din. "Will you come with me back to the field? I want to have a closer look at the Death Eater's dirty work." Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but Harry shushed her with a look. "We'll wear my invisibility cloak to be extra safe."

"I'm in, mate," agreed Ron. Sighing, Hermione gave in. After all she was curious as to what the Death Eater had done to the field. _Why would he want to defile school property when he could cause just as much damage to its students?_ _Like Harry said, it doesn't make any sense._ They slipped out of the Great Hall, climbed onto Harry's broom, (which was a tight squeeze even with an extension charm) and kicked off. Soon Harry had them airborne high enough to where they could see the Quiddich field from an aerial view. The three students gaped at the message along with the ominous green Dark Mark that hung nearby.

Burned into the Quidditch field were the words, 'The Dark Lord Is Watching You'. Harry brought his broom down to rest on the field so they could perform a more thorough inspection. When Hermione examined the singed grass more closely she noticed that the letters D, A, R, O, and C were etched deeper than the others. She shared her theory with the boys and they agreed that she was onto something.

"Do you think those letters mean something important? More than the initial threat?" Ron asked dubiously.

"More than likely – but what?" pondered Harry. Most of the students only saw the message as an empty threat, but the trio knew better. "Maybe the letters form a word. 'Mione, you're good at this sort of thing – do you have any ideas?" It only took her a few seconds to figure out the little puzzle the hooded Death Eater had left them.

"Draco," breathed Hermione. "Rearranged, the letters spell Draco."

"Wicked…our slimy git has fallen out of favor with the Death Eaters," said Ron, smugly.

"'Told you he was a DE," Harry gloated. "Whatever Malfoy is doing, he's not succeeding. Or maybe he's going about it too slowly. Either way, you two will have to let me keep tailing him. Perhaps I can find out where he goes when he disappears from my map."

"I don't know, Harry…Malfoy has probably learned how to effectively cast 'Avada Kedavra' by now," she worried.

"Lay off him, 'Mione," said Ron. "Harry's a big boy; he can take care of himself."

"Excuse me if I happen to care if something happens to him, Ronald," snapped Hermione.

"I care, he's my best mate!" Ron defended himself. "But there are some risks that we all need to take in order to rid our world of You-Know-Who and his followers.

"You should talk; you can't even say his name!" Hermione retorted, smirking in satisfaction as Ron failed to come up with a come back. _Well, it's true. When has Ron ever said Voldemort? Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself._

"Cool it, guys!" Harry yelled. "Can't you two ever give it a rest? I'm tired from practice, I want to go to bed, and tomorrow is McGonagall's exam. Let's go back inside." Begrudgingly, Hermione and Ron followed Harry back to the castle, and refrained from arguing the rest of the long night.

After the castle was thoroughly searched for possible new entrances or other ways that the DE could've gotten inside the Hogwarts grounds, classes returned to normal on Monday. The next week was relatively uneventful; except for the day Hagrid's nifflers got loose and caused general havoc when someone accidentally let them in the castle. On Saturday, Hermione was enjoying a peaceful afternoon in the library when Ginny burst through the doors.

"Fred and George..." she panted, trying to whisper. "They've managed to do it!" There was no need for Hermione to ask what the twins had managed to do, as she already knew. _I get to see Will again!_

"Yes!" Hermione shouted, jumping up to give a shocked Ginny a bone-crunching hug. That was the only day in Miss Granger's seven year career at Hogwarts that Madam Pince had to throw her out of the library.

End Ch. 3

Review please! It really helps me write faster. Thanks. :D


	4. You're a Witch?

Disclaimer: Hermione, Ginny and the other HP characters belong to JKR, not me. Jack and Will from PotC belong to Disney.

Once again, thanks to my wonderful reviewers!

MrsBloomTheFirst: Thank you sooo much! I know it's random, but I thought hey, maybe people might want to read a story about Will and Hermione. I'm glad you like it! P.S. Very cool penname. ;)

Tears-That-Fall: Oh yeah…it's all about Will:D

Captain-Ammie: Yes, Fred and George do rock; they keep Will in the picture! Thanks for reviewing!

Jellemegg: Thanks, I like the plot too, lol. Yep, it's kinda obvious that I 'love' Orlando Bloom! (What an understatement)

SenatorSolo: Yep, Balian is from KoH. I'm glad you liked the E-Town trailer! Ugh, October seems so far away…but it won't be long until we 'meet' Drew!

InwePirate-Elf: Aw, you are too kind! I'm glad you like the HP/PotC mix. Oh man, it would be tough to decide which to have a daydream about…Balian or Will. Heck, I'd shell out 20 galleons and try both!

WillsOneLove: Dude, you are so awesome! You reviewed all three chapters in a row! I'll bet a lot of us wish they were Hermione…hehe! Who wouldn't want to have a daydream about Will, the hottest blacksmith-turned-pirate alive? Yeah, you are correct…you wouldn't want to run into a Death Eater. Those guys (and gals) are pure EVIL! You saw KoH and liked it…you are now my new best friend! No, seriously I'm glad you liked the movie. He was sooo amazing in it, and of course looked super sexy as always. :P I mean, how many guys can pull of the beard look and not look too macho? Although I was seriously disappointed by the lack of KoH fanfic, so I broke down and wrote one myself. Thanks again for your encouraging reviews!

Ch. 4: You're a Witch?

When Hermione heard the news that Fred and George had invented a way of extending the daydream charms, she immediately sent her original box to their store. In her opinion, spending ten galleons on another charm to see her dashing pirate was money well spent. The next few weeks were so busy that she hardly had time to think about the arrival of her new charm.

Two weeks later at breakfast

"Please pass the marmalade," Hermione asked Ron, who to her annoyance didn't hear her because he was so engrossed in his conversation with Lavender.

"Here you are," sighed Harry, placing it in front of her. "I don't know what's gotten into him lately; I doubt he means to ignore you…"

"Thanks, Harry. Sometimes it seems that boy is missing a sensitivity chip," said Hermione sadly. _I still wish we could be friends, but his stupid airhead girlfriend won't allow even that._

"Have Ginny and Dean been getting alone alright? I know she likes to confide in you…" Harry trailed off when he noticed Hermione's knowing smirk.

"Why do you want to know?" She asked lightly.

"Oh come off it, Hermione," he answered, a bit perturbed. "I'm just concerned about our Quidditch team; I want to make sure my teammates are getting along."

"Hmm, I didn't even know Dean was on the Quidditch team. He didn't play when we hammered Ravenclaw last match…"

"Yeah, well that was before Katie got hurt," Harry stated bitterly. _Who ever gave her that poisoned necklace has a sick mind…putting a poor innocent girl like Katie in St. Mungo's hospital deserves to be put in Azkaban. _ "I had to replace her, and Dean was the best Chaser I could find."

"I'd forgotten that…" Suddenly, a great screech sounded; all eyes in the Great Hall fixed on a tawny owl, who was swooping down towards the Gryffindor table. The owl landed just in front of Hermione with a rather large package tied to his foot marked 'urgent'.

"I'm sorry Miss Granger," wheezed Filch, who'd just entered the room. "I tried to stop him, but he slipped from my grasp."

"That's quite alright, Mr. Filch. It's, um, a birthday present. But thank you for your services." Filch nodded, scowled at the student body and left.

"But I thought your birthday wasn't until –"

"Harry, shh!" The bushy-haired witch gave him a meaningful look and he fell silent. "It's not important. Anyway, tell me again how you managed to catch the snitch in the Ravenclaw match?" Harry shrugged, for Hermione had never shown much interest in Quidditch in the past.

"Well, it wasn't easy…" Hermione barely listened to him as she finished her breakfast, eager to try out her extended daydream charm in her next period, which happened to be a free one. At last the golden plates were magically cleared and students began to file out of the Great Hall.

"Hey, is that what I think it is?" Ginny caught up to her older friend as they headed to class. Hermione nodded, grinning. "Not fair…I'm their sister! Why didn't they send me mine first!"

"I'll bet it's already on its way. They do make priorities for paying customers, you know," she joked. "Well, I'm off to try it out!" Ginny stared at the box wistfully.

"Let me know how it turns out; I'll see you in the common room tonight."

"I will," she promised. Hermione waved to her friend as they went their separate ways. The sixth years made their way to study hall, and most of them took out their books, preparing to study the morning away. Harry was one of them – he seemed to be taking his education more seriously this year, after he learned of the prophecy. _I don't know how he does it, living his life knowing that he must be the one to kill the most feared wizard of our age._ Yet, some were not as concerned with academic matters. Over in a snug corner of the room, Hermione spotted Lavender seated in Ron's lap. While a Charms book lay open before them, she doubted that much studying was being done._ Oh well, I suppose I can let my homework wait this once._

Hermione eagerly opened her box, finding the new incantation written inside. Not wanting those around her to hear her casting the spell, she waved her wand and whispered "_Muffilato!" _She then knew it was safe to cast her daydream charm. Carefully, she got out her DADA textbook, placed it upright on the table, and hid behind it just before she cast the incantation.

This time, the charm took her directly to the pirate ship, the 'Black Pearl'. She wasn't as dizzy as last time, and inwardly thanked the twins for their improvements. Brushing the dirt off of her beautiful gown, Hermione stood up and found Will staring at her from across the deck.

"Hermione!" He yelled, running towards her. "It's so good to see you!"

"And you as well, Will," she breathlessly greeted him, falling into his strong embrace. "I've missed you," she admitted. Thankfully he didn't ask where she'd gone, and she wasn't about to tell him. He smoothed a stray hair away from her face, and they gazed into each other's eyes. They leaned closer, and closer. Will's lips grazed hers and then –"

They heard a loud tinkling of breaking glass coming from below decks, and an angry shout. "Blast! Where's all the rum gone!" Hermione reluctantly pulled away, as the moment was ruined.

"Was that your captain?" she asked.

"Yes, that's Captain Sparrow; he does that," Will supplied helpfully. "I should throw him overboard for being so disruptive."

"Or I could hex him for you, and save you the trouble." Hermione realized her mistake as soon as the words left her mouth. "I-I mean, what I meant by that was…" she stammered uselessly as Will backed away from her, as if she was one of Hagrid's dangerous monsters.

"You're a witch," he stated, with venom, his face contorted in a look of pain along with a bit of fear.

"No, Will, I'm not like that," Hermione tried to explain. "I don't use my magic for power or evil, I use it for good.

"I could turn you over to the authorities," Will said, in a deadly whisper.

"Right," Hermione snorted. "You, a pirate turn me in; I'd like to see you try."

"You're not normal; stay away from me!" Will cried, raising his voice.

"No!" Hermione protested in anguish. "Will, please listen to me. This is exactly why our kind never reveals ourselves to people like you. You have a terrible prejudice against us." Will frowned, but allowed her to keep speaking. "I'm not going to hurt you; here, I'll even give you my wand." She handed it to him, and he took it warily, expecting it to go off. "There, I am unarmed. Now if you swear not to tell a soul, I can try and explain what being a witch truly entails."

"I swear," he said, finally after giving it much thought.

"Thank you. You see, the wizarding community has existed as long as you Muggles, non-magical folk, have lived. As you probably know, we do use brooms for traveling. I'm afraid somehow, long ago, word of an evil witch or wizard reached Muggle ears, which has made the lot of you wrongly afraid of us. However, almost all witches and wizards use their powers for good. We are as civilized as you – for instance I attend the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which is carefully hidden from Muggle eyes."

"Yes, but you cast spells, don't you!" Will cut in. "You threatened to 'hex' Jack!" Hermione sighed.

"I was only joking Will. Yes we do learn some hexes, but we are to only use them in self-defense. Our knowledge is very valuable; for instance we have healers who are far more advanced in the ways of medicine than your doctors."

"What else can you do?" the pirate asked curiously, his cold manner slipping away.

"Let's see, right now we're is learning to apparate," she told him, smiling. "Apparition is when one disappears and then reappears in a different specified place. I was the first in my entire class to learn how to apparate successfully."

"That's impressive," Will complimented her. Not wanting to sound arrogant, she added, "But most of my classmates successfully apparated just after I did; it's no big deal." Will smirked at her.

"Well then if it's no big deal, then I'm sure you wouldn't mind showing me. Go ahead, apparate into the Crow's Nest," he challenged her.

"I'll try." Not wanting to dwell on what could happen if she splinched herself in a daydream, Hermione deeply concentrated on the Crow's Nest. Closing her eyes tight, she felt a strange squeezing sensation.

"That was unbelieveable!" called an astonished Will from the deck far below Hermione. She opened her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief – at least she knew that she could apparate under pressure. _After that, the test should be a piece of cake! _"Now come on down!" The bushy-haired witch appeared next to him just moments later.

"What do you think about witches now, Mr. Turner?" Will sighed, and ran his fingers through his long chocolate hair.

"I'm sorry, Miss Granger. I have offended you…but it's not every day one learns that witches and wizards are real."

"That's alright, Will," she told him softly. "I think you took it rather well; thanks for not turning me in."

"I wouldn't have done that anyway," he assured her. "I was just afraid, as well as confused. It must be true, that humans are afraid of the unknown," he mused. Will moved close to Hermione again and lightly pressed his lips to her forehead.

"And who might this young strumpet be, William?" Hermione and Will spun around in surprise.

"Captain Sparrow, I presume?" The young witch took in the pirate's eccentric appearance and gathered that this must be the pirate that was in Ginny's daydream.

"Right you are, luv. Good choice whelp," said Jack, waving his hand in Hermione's general direction, "I like this one; she knows how to address me properly." Hermione put her hands on her hips and glared at Jack.

"Don't call him whelp!" Sparrow chuckled.

"I'll call him whatever I feel like. I'm the Captain, savvy?" Will shook his head, wanting her to drop the matter, but Hermione decided to have a bit of fun messing with the Captain's mind. She leaned over to Will and whispered,

"Watch this…it's a non-verbal spell." _Wingardium Leviosa! _ Jack's disheveled three-cornered hat began to slowly rise in the air. At first he took no notice, but then the pirate must've felt the wind on his previously covered head.

"Me hat!" Jack screamed, as Hermione told it to hang in the air just out of his reach. Will couldn't contain his laughter as Jack chased his hat all around the ship, which always floated away from his grasp seeming to have a mind of its own. Finally, Hermione had pity on the poor man and slowly dropped the hat directly on to Sparrow's head.

"You've got to lay off the rum, Jack," advised Will. "It makes you do strange things." Captain Sparrow wisely decided to return below decks, muttering about his hat being bewitched. "Now where were we?" said Will, in his soft-spoken yet captivating voice. Will gently captured Hermione's lips and they soon became lost in their own passion-filled world. _Snogging has never felt so good._ Eventually, Will released her and they caught their breath. But he wasn't finished with her yet. Will moved on to kiss her neck and Hermione couldn't contain her sighs of pleasure.

"Oh Will," she softly moaned, closing her eyes as he peppered her neck with his kisses. Hermione was so lost in the moment that she didn't realize right away that Will had stopped his ministrations.

"Will, don't stop," she protested, realizing that his tingling lips had left her neck. Laughter rang out from the sixth year Gryffindors as they caught Hermione in the act of her daydreaming. Hermione froze, grimaced, and finally dared to open her eyes. An embarrassed-looking Harry stood before her, having just broken her daydream.

"Er," he stammered, "Study hall is over, 'Mione." She shook herself awake.

"Of course it is; I was just resting. Shall we go to Potions?" she asked brightly. Harry looked at her warily.

"Uh, sure." He stared at her curiously. "Are you alright, Hermione?" The young witch glanced over at Ron, who was frowning at her. Hermione smirked with satisfaction.

"Never better, Harry."

End Ch. 4

Sorry it took so long to post another chapter! Forgive me…please! Reviews are always nice. I'll write faster, I promise!


	5. A surprise encounter

Disclaimer: Hermione, Ginny and the other HP characters belong to JKR, not me. Jack and Will from PotC belong to Disney.

A/N: Enjoy folks…this one is extra long for ya!

LigheningExperience: I'm converting you? How cool is that! No, but seriously Will and Jack are both great characters, in their own special ways. I'm pretty sure that you can like both, lol. I'm not quite sure where this is going either, but I'm planning on making more of a drama in the HP world. But don't

worry; there will be plenty of PotC moments yet to come.

SenatorSolo: Hmm, a joint daydream for Hermione and Ginny? I'll keep that in mind. ;D I'm glad you thought the Jack-chasing-his-hat part was funny. Phew…it was meant to be! Yes, tender moments between Hermione and Will are always good. Look for more Jack in the story in the future. I'm gonna add him because everyone loves him. I love him too, just not in the same way that I love Will.

Captain-Ammie: Thanks for reviewing! I'm sure Harry felt dumb afterwards for not realizing what was really going on with Hermione…

InwePirate-Elf: Yes, the whole witch issue was hard to resolve. I didn't want it to get that dramatic, because I like keeping the PotC parts light and fun. Yes you are right, which OB fan wouldn't want Will to kiss them like that? Hehe! ;D Thanks for that lovely review!

Jaded Emerald: Thanks, I'm trying to write fast! Haha, I'm glad you think it's funny. Cool penname, by the way.

Miss-serpentina: Wow, I had no idea that this was THAT funny. Coolness! I hope this one is long enough for you!

Tears-that-fall: Poor Hermione, getting caught in front of her entire class! We've all been in embarrassing situations, but that would be the absolute worst! But hey, she got to kiss Will. It's a fair tradeoff.

Avchocoholic: Well thanks for that awesome review! throws you some cockroach cluster

WillsOneLove: Aw, you are so sweet! Thanks for being so encouraging, that really motivates me to write more…and faster too:D

Ch. 5: A surprise encounter

Later that evening, back in the Gryffindor common room, Ginny burst through the portrait hole to find Hermione deeply immersed in her Arithmancy project.

"'Mione, I heard about what happened in study hall today – next time try and be a bit more discreet," Ginny teased her friend. "Your dream about Will must've been good one, huh? " When Hermione looked up, she didn't give a hint of a smile but instead gave a defeated sigh. Immediately, Ginny knew something was wrong. "Hermione? Are you alright?" she asked gently.

"Today in Arithmancy, Professor McGonagall called Terry Boot out of class. Professor Vector later informed us that his father had been killed by the Death Eaters after refusing to turn in a few members of the Order." Ginny gasped in horror.

"Oh I'm so sorry; I didn't know he was a good friend of yours." Hermione shook her head.

"He's not, really. I'm just so bloody tired of all these attacks!" Ginny nodded, sympathetically. "Right now it seems that evil is winning this war…I can't stop thinking about what would happen if V-Voldemort managed to take over the wizarding community." She paused, setting her homework to the side. "Have you touched on World War two in your Muggle Studies class?"

"Yes," Ginny answered uncertainly. "But what does that have to do with Voldemort?"

"Remember Adolf Hitler, Germany's dictator? He put all of the people, mainly Jews, that he deemed were unclean in concentration camps. In the end over six million people were exterminated by Hitler, and his Nazi followers. I imagine that Voldemort would do something similar to muggle-borns and their sympathizers." Ginny pulled her friend into a hug.

"I know that it seems bleak right now, but the Order is doing everything they can to stop him. Dumbledore is working overtime, leaving the school for what I suspect must be Order business. As long as we have him, I wouldn't be too worried." Hermione bit her lip, apparently not convinced. _You aren't muggleborn; he won't come after you first. _ "Well, we are as safe as we can be for the moment." Ginny continued. "Dumbledore installed all of those special spells and safety precautions on the castle this summer. We shouldn't dwell on the Dark Lord and his plan for supremacy, for that is what he would want." Hermione nodded slowly and gave her red haired friend a tiny smile.

"I suppose you are right. How 'bout I tell you about my daydream instead?" Hermione proceeded to tell Ginny what had transpired during her second encounter with Will.

"…And then Harry shook me awake when our free period was over, right in the middle of our snog session." Ginny had a good laugh at Hermione's expense, but when the older girl gave her a death glare, she sobered instantly.

"Wow-ee," whistled Ginny. "You took a real risk telling him that you were a witch! I'm surprised he didn't chuck you overboard."

"So was I," Hermione admitted. "But once I'd calmed him down, he listened to my explanation and concluded that I wasn't such an evil person after all." She smiled wistfully remembering how Will had eagerly asked to see her perform magic. "He challenged me to apparate into the Crow's Nest, and I did it!"

"You've told him about apparition?" Ginny stared uneasily at her friend. "Just how many secrets of our world have you revealed to him, Hermione?" The sixth year folded her arms across her chest.

"I made him swear not to tell anyone," she said, defensively. "Will wouldn't do that! He would _never _betray me; I just know it. Besides, I'll bet you've already told Jack that you're a witch."

"That's different," Ginny objected. "Jack Sparrow is a very open minded person; you'd have to be if you were to live a pirate's life. He associates with all kinds of scoundrels and thieves. Telling him that I was a witch must've sounded quite tame to him." Hermione sighed in defeat,

"I guess you are right. Hey, did you hear that Dumbledore's scheduled a Hogsmeade visit for Friday evening?"

"No! That's excellent; I could use a break from all this studying. O.W. L. year is too bloody difficult!" Poor Ginny had the Ordinary Wizarding Level tests at the end of the term, so her workload was much more taxing than the previous year.

"Would you like to meet up somewhere? I'm sure the boys would love to…"

"Sorry, but I can't," Ginny apologized. "I promised Dean that we'd spend the next Hogsmeade trip together." _She doesn't sound too thrilled about it._ "Well, I'd better go to bed; Snape's giving us a practical exam in DADA tomorrow."

"You'll do fine," Hermione encouraged her. "It will just be like old times in the DA. Good night, Gin."

"'Night, 'Mione."

The week flew by and before she knew it, the visit to Hogsmeade had arrived. As it was snowing, Hermione bundled up in her matching red coat, hat, and gloves. If it was anything that she loathed, it was being cold. She spent a pleasant evening with Ron and Harry in the Three Broomsticks pub. (To Hermione's delight, Lavendar was conspicuously absent, as she was serving detention with McGonagall for falling behind in her class.)

Walking back to the castle, Hermione enjoyed talking and laughing with her best friends, who seemed to be in good spirits. It was during times like these that she was able to forget that the wizarding world was fighting a deadly war against the most powerful dark wizard in centuries. Halfway to the castle, Ginny joined them, explaining that Dean wanted to spend some time with Seamus. By the time they had reached the grounds after being thoroughly searched by Filch, the stars were already twinkling brightly in the black night sky.

"Alrigh' you four?" The students ran into Hagrid, who had just returned from the Forbidden Forest.

"'Alright Hagrid," Harry answered, grinning. "How've you been? I'm sorry we haven't been down to see you lately."

"Oh, I'm fine, just fine," grumbled the half-giant. "Actually, could one of you do me a big favor?" Not waiting for an answer, he pulled a cylinder package from his coat pocket. "Here, be sure that Dumbledore gets this at exactly ten o'clock," instructed Hagrid, thrusting the package into Hermione's hands. He lowered his voice, "It's very important now…Order business."

"We'll take care of it," Hermione promised him.

"Thanks," said Hagrid, relieved. "I've got to go feed Aragog…he hasn't been feeling too well lately."

"Oi! It's eight 'til ten!" yelled Ron. "We'd better hurry," he pointed out as they trekked up to the castle. _I haven't seen Harry looking so relaxed in a long time – I'd better be the one to deliver the package. That way he can spend some time with Ron while Lavender isn't present._

"I'll do it. I'll bet that you lot have even begun your Charms project." The boys looked at each other guiltily.

"Thanks a million, Hermione," said Ron and Harry. "We owe you one," added Ron, and Hermione felt her face grow hot.

"I'll come with you," offered Ginny. Hermione nodded, figuring she wanted to discuss something that had transpired between her and Dean. The girls sprinted up the many flights of stairs, dashed down a long corridor, and finally came to the entrance to Dumbledore's office."

"What's the password?" panted Hermione, doubled over from a pain in her side.

"I don't know!" Ginny was only slightly out of breath, as she was so fit from Quidditch practice. "It's one minute until ten," she warned, beginning to panic.

"Maybe we should just open it ourselves," Hermione suggested. "If it's a message, we'll hear it and then find Dumbledore."

"Sounds good," Ginny agreed, and they simultaneously tore off the paper. The girls stared at the container, dumbfounded. It was a can of cockroach cluster, bearing the official Honeydukes stamp.

"Is this Hagrid's idea of a joke? Order business, indeed," Hermione tutted. "Dumbledore must've been having a craving for chocolate, and wanted a speedy delivery." Ginny eyed the container with interest.

"Well, we did run it all the way up here; I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I had a few." Hermione firmly gripped the can as Ginny yanked the top off and stuck her hand down inside, in search of the candies. "Cockroach clusters, honestly…"

However, Ginny never did get to finish her sentence. The girls were suddenly lifted off the ground, spinning as they disappeared from the castle and thrown to the floor in a dark room. Groaning softly, they gingerly sat up and took in their surroundings.

"Ohhh, my stomach," Hermione complained weakly, as Ginny helped her stand.

"Are you alright?" Ginny whispered, her voice full of concern.

"Yes," replied Hermione. She looked down at her glow-in-the-dark muggle watch and noted that it was exactly ten o'clock.

"Lumos!" The young witches held their wands in front of them, trying to illuminate the impenetrable darkness that blanketed them. "Hermione, how did we get here? Was that can really a…"

"I believe so," Hermione grimly replied. "The can of cockroach cluster was a portkey." Having fully explored the room, the girls deduced that it was some sort of living room, except it hadn't been lived in for sometime. Musty white sheets were draped over the old-fashioned furniture, cobwebs lined the ceiling, and everything was covered in a layer of dust. Ginny made her way to the door, her wand outstretched.

"Alohomora!" Nothing happened; the door was clearly locked. "Er, Hermione, how do we get out of here?" Ginny asked, her soft voice trembling.

"I don't know, Gin." An uneasy feeling was creeping over her, as if she was being watched.

"You don't." A high-pitched, cold feminine voice answered them from the darkness, and Hermione fought the urge to scream. "I see you found the portkey," she cackled. At once the lights came on and the girls saw who was holding them prisoner. Hermione and Ginny gasped in horror as the ghastly woman stepped out of the shadows. _I liked it better when I didn't know who the voice belonged to. _ "The Dark Lord will be very pleased; I'm sure he can find a use for you," said the Death Eater.

"Bellatrix Lestrange, we meet again," snarled Hermione.

"You – you monster!" Ginny cried. "How could you do that to Sirius! He was your cousin; doesn't that count for something?" Bellatrix gave them a patronizing sneer.

"He was a blood traitor to the Black family, and therefore had to be eliminated. But enough about that," she snapped. "How is young mister Potter? I doubt he'll react well when he finds out that the two of you have gone missing."

"You leave Harry alone; it's not your job to kill him. Voldemort wants to do that personally," said Ginny.

"Do not speak his name!" Bellatrix screamed. "You insolent girl; you aren't worthy to speak the Dark Lord's name. A pity though…we could use a young, talented pureblood such as yourself." Ginny glared at her.

"I'd rather die than join with the dark side. I know what you're trying to do – and it won't work. Harry won't be lured into trying to rescue us; he's learned from his past mistake."

"You have feelings for him," Bellatrix realized with twisted delight, as she used occulmency on Ginny. "This is perfect," she crowed. "You have fallen in love with the 'chosen one'. Do you deny it?"

"No," said Ginny, softly. "But he does not return my feelings. So that will not help you," she said with satisfaction.

"Oh, but my dear, I believe he does," the Death Eater disagreed, with a high-pitch laugh. "I've been delving into your memories…I'm surprised old Dumbly hasn't taught you to better defend yourself!" Ginny let out a gasp.

"You're wrong!" she cried, desperately. Bellatrix's face was distorted in an expression of wild joy.

"I can see the way he stares at you, when he believes you aren't looking. Especially at Quidditch practice, oh yes," she proclaimed smugly. "You'll be the perfect tool to stop that Potter boy once we've lured him into our trap." Ginny looked at her, wide-eyed.

"Please, give me to Voldemort instead. Not Harry…" This enraged the Death Eater.

"I told you not to speak his name!" Bellatrix bellowed as she aimed her wand at the fifth year. "Crucio!" Ginny screamed in agony, her body twitching in response to the intense pain.

"Bellatrix…you're not the only one who can perform occulmency!" Hermione yelled, desperate to save her friend. Distracted, the Death Eater lowered her wand, and Ginny lay still. As she had been entirely focused on Ginny, Bellatrix had forgotten that Hermione was in the room. "I've just seen that you allowed your sister to go against your boss's wishes. That was rather thick of you, letting Snape making an unbreakable vow to protect Draco at all costs. You see, Snape's really on our side…and now we must know exactly what it is that Malfoy needs protection from."

"You stupid girl; Severus Snape is a spy for Voldemort. He is one of his most trusted confidants, and gives us regular updates on the goings on at Hogwarts." Hermione shrugged.

"Believe whatever you wish to believe." She moved over to check on Ginny, who, other than having a gash on her forehead, seemed to be doing okay." _I've got to get her out of here, and fast. If only she could apparate already – wait. That's it!_

"Now, Miss Granger, prepare to feel…" Bellatrix fell backwards, as Hermione had used a non-verbal 'stupefy' on her. Grabbing Ginny's limp arm, the young witch furrowed her brow in concentration, and without further delay, apparated from the room.

Later that night

Ginny Weasley's head swam…it took all of her energy just to open her eyes.

"Hermione?" Ginny asked feebly, blinking her eyes as they adjusted to the cheery light.

"Shh, we're safe now," Hermione soothed. Ginny grimaced, still feeling the aftershocks of the Cruciatus curse.

"But how did we…"

"Side-along apparition. I'd never tried it before, but thankfully I was able to take you with me. We're at the Three Broomsticks, and Madam Rosmerta sent a message up to the school to let them know that we are alright."

"Thanks, 'Mione. I thought for sure that I was a goner," Ginny confessed. "I'm lucky that you kept a cool head. I mean, wow…you outwitted Bellatrix Lestrange!"

"I had no idea if my ideas were going to work," said Hermione truthfully. By this time, Dumbledore had arrived at the pub.

"Miss Weasley, I believe that it's best that we get you to the hospital wing right away. I'm so relieved that you and Miss Granger are not seriously hurt." Hermione could see tears glistening in his blue eyes. Dumbledore conjured a stretcher from thin air, and floated Ginny up to the castle, as Hermione walked by his side. After they made sure that Ginny was settled in for the night, Dumbledore invited Hermione up to his office to discuss the night's events. When she finally finished her story, the Headmaster put his head in his hands.

"I'm afraid that Hagrid was under the Imperious Curse when he asked you and your friends to deliver that package. Next time, Miss Granger, when someone asks you to deliver something, don't touch it. In the times we are living in, one can never be too careful." Hermione agreed with him wholeheartedly, and then she realized something.

"Sir, that package was meant for you!" Dumbledore nodded.

"Do not worry, there have been several attempts on my life during the past year, and yet here I stand before you. I am on the lookout for the next one."

"I'm glad to hear it, sir. Hogwarts needs you." Dumbledore smiled slightly at her, but he seemed to be masking other emotions.

"Thank you, Hermione, I'm very touched." He scratched his forehead with his burned hand and motioned towards the door. "You'd better get some sleep. Good night."

"Good night, sir." The young witch made her way back to Gryffindor tower, and fell into bed completely exhausted after her encounter with Bellatrix. Before she drifted off, Hermione reminded herself that she needed to send for another daydream charm. "I'll see you again soon, Will," she whispered. With that pleasant thought, she fell asleep dreaming of her charming pirate.

End Ch. 5


	6. The Storm

Disclaimer: Hermione, Ginny and the other HP characters belong to JKR, not me. Jack and Will from PotC belong to Disney.

ABitCloserJohnny: I have every intention of finishing this! Just not quite yet…my plan is to have it run the length of HBP with subtle changes, of course.

Avchocoholic: Yep, she's an occulmens. And I explain that in this chapter. Thanks for keeping me on my toes!

Legolover: Alright! I'm so glad you like it. :D Thanks for the lovely review.

Captain-Ammie: Plottyful? Does that mean full of plot? Hmm, I guess that's a good thing, lol.

InwePirate-Elf: Yay, you liked the suspense! And there's plenty more where that came from. :D I do try and stick to the books, so it's only natural that I'd include portkeys, and unforgivable curses. Thanks for always reviewing; you are so sweet!

SenatorSolo: Yep, I hate Bellatrix too. In fact, I think she's the most evil of the Death Eaters, just for killing Sirius. That's why I chose to write about her.

LighteningExperience: Wow, aren't you full of questions? Actually that was great because I incorporated your questions into the story. You REALLY keep me on my toes. That is excellent, I need that. Keep asking questions!

WillsOneLove: Woah…I made you want to read fics that aren't PotC? Well, I'm glad because HP and others are fun to read too. But I'll always love reading about Will. (sigh) Thanks for another awesome, fantastic, brilliant review!

Ch. 6: The Storm

"Hermione! Thank Merlin you're alright!" Harry ran toward the Gryffindor table, where she was eating her breakfast. He gave her a friendly hug, which she returned. Ron was right behind him, his face as white as a sheet. Speechless, he gave her an awkward hug and they pulled away quickly.

"Th-thank you for saving my sister's life," he stammered. "How did you manage it?"

"I'll tell you later," she answered nervously, as Lavender was listening to their conversation. Harry broke the uncomfortable silence.

"We've just been to see Ginny in the hospital wing; Madam Pomfrey says she should feel as good as new in about a week." He rubbed his chin, lost in thought. _He totally likes her; I knew it!_

"That's excellent news," said Hermione, clearly relieved that no lasting damage had been done to her friend.

"Won-won, I got you some eggs and toast!" Harry and Hermione cringed when they heard the saccharine voice, which belonged to none other than Lavender Brown.

"Er, thanks," said Ron, his face now resembling a tomato. "I'll see you later, tonight in the common room." Moving down a few seats, the redhaired boy sat beside his girlfriend, who promptly began chattering away.

"Sorry 'bout him," said Harry. "Would you mind telling me how you escaped from Bellatrix now?" Hermione gave him a quizzical look. "I've got a lesson with Dumbledore tonight," he explained. She lowered her voice and proceeded to tell him about seeing the memory of Snape making an Unbreakable Vow to help and protect Draco. Harry looked at her, clearly impressed.

"That's amazing, 'Mione; I had no idea you were an occulmens!" She blushed a bit and muttered,

"I learned last summer by practicing on Mrs. Weasley…she was ecstatic to have an excuse not to spend time with Fleur." After he had a good laugh, Harry's expression sobered.

"What did Dumbledore say when you told him about Snape?" Harry asked eagerly. Hermione frowned and bit her lip.

"In all of the excitement, I forgot to mention it to him." She groaned and smacked her forehead. "I'm so stupid!"

"No you're not," Harry vehemently stated. "Your quick thinking saved Ginny's life." He stared at Hermione in admiration for a moment. "Don't worry, I'll tell Dumbledore about the Unbreakable Vow tonight."

"Thanks, Harry," she said, gratefully. Then she glanced down at her watch. "Oh, my! It's time for Ancient Runes. Bye Harry!" The young witch barely heard his 'goodbye' as she sprinted to class.

Much later that evening, a downcast Harry emerged from the portrait hole into the common room. _His meeting with Dumbledore must not have gone very well._ Hermione braced herself for the worse

"What happened?" Fuming, Harry plopped down on the couch beside her.

"He didn't take my information about Snape and the Unforgivable Vow seriously! All he said was that he trusts Professor Snape for reasons that he cannot divulge. Can you believe that?" He released his fury by punching one of the red and gold couch cushions.

"That really bothers me too, Harry," she worried. "Unforgivable Vows aren't to be taken lightly, since the ones who take the vow will die if it is not fulfilled!" Harry looked at her excitedly.

"Don't you see, 'Mione? This proves that Snape's been working for the Death Eaters all along!" Hermione sighed, and answered him carefully.

"I don't know…he did save your life twice; in first and third year. But," she hastily continued before Harry could interrupt, "I'll admit that his behavior is mighty suspicious. From the start, I should've realized that Malfoy was telling the truth when you found out how he bragged about working for Voldemort." Harry nodded, thoughtfully. "I've been watching him on the Maurauder's map lately, and every so often he disappears. Would you want to help me find out what he's up to?" "Absolutely," she said, matter-of-factly. "Malfoy needs to be stopped, and we're the only ones to do it." Harry looked around the room, finally noticing that his best friend was missing. 

"Hey, where did Ron go?"

"Won-won went to the library with Lavender. They're _studying_." Harry snorted and rolled his eyes.

"I'll bet." He ran his fingers through his jet-black hair and stood up. "Did you get an invitation to Slughorn's Christmas party? Hermione nodded. "So who are you going to bring? She shrugged indifferently.

"What about you? Who are _you_ going to bring?" Harry grimaced at the very thought of asking someone to come.

"I know who I'm not bringing; those fourth year nutters who keep trying to slip me love potions!" Hermione giggled, and didn't stop until Harry threw a pillow at her.

"Well, I'm off to bed. See you tomorrow, then?"

"See you." As soon as Harry vacated the couch, Parvati came over and sat down next to Hermione.

"Hey, I'm really sorry to hear about Ginny," said Parvati. "What happened? Is she going to be alright?" In as little detail as possible, Hermione recounted her story and assured the Indian girl that Ginny would be feeling back to normal in no time. Not wanting to dwell on Bellatrix, Hermione changed the subject.

"Is Lavender still ignoring you?" Parvati grimaced. "Yes – although not as much as before. She's finally realized that she can't spend every waking moment with Won-won." The girls shared a good laugh at the couple's expense. "Oh yeah, I've got a question for you."

"What's that?" Hermione asked with interest.

"Well…I tried another one of those daydream charms. Everything was simply lovely; I went riding with my wonderful, valiant, perfect knight…" Parvati trailed off, remembering the moment sporting a dreamy, vacant expression.

"And…" prompted Hermione. _Honestly...she's more besotted than Lavender. No, that's exaggerating. No one is worse than Lavender, unless they've taken a love potion._

"Yes, right," Parvati recovered, clearing her throat. "Sir Balian and I were riding through his fields and my horse stumbled, throwing me to the ground. My leg got banged up pretty badly, but when I woke, I had no scabbing whatsoever. How can that be?"

"Hmm," Hermione pondered. "Perhaps since we aren't truly there, our bodies don't sustain any damage." The bushy-haired witch shrugged. "When I send for another charm, I'll ask the twins about it." Parvati glanced slyly at Hermione.

"So, that daydream you had in study hall; it must've been a good one, huh?" Poor Hermione had been trying to live that down all week. Her cheeks burning, she replied,

"You could say that." Parvati rolled her eyes.

"Do tell! Details, girl – details!" Hermione gave in.

"Alright!" she said, throwing up her hands. "But only if you tell me about your daydream first."

"Fair enough," admitted Parvati. "Like I said, I'd injured my leg when my horse threw me. Balian was very concerned for my well-being; therefore we had to ride back to his house. But this time I got to ride with him, with strong his arms rapped around my waist…" The girls momentarily forgot their problems as they discussed their daydreams through the wee hours of the night.

The very next day, Hermione drafted a letter to the Weasley twins. She included Parvati's question about feeling pain during a dream, and then waking without any trace of being hurt. Also, she put in a question that had been bugging her ever since she first met Will Turner. Was he a real person? If so, how exactly did the charms work? Before sealing the envelope, she dropped in ten galleons to pay for the next charm. Hermione seriously doubted Fred and George would divulge their secrets to her, but it never hurt to ask.

As she climbed the stairs to the Owlery, she contemplated who to take to Slughorn's holiday party the following week. _I really would like to ask Ron, just as a friend of course. It would be wonderful to hang out with him and Harry, just like the old times._ Hermione tied the letter to her owl's leg and watched as he soared out the window and turned into a tiny speck, which promptly disappeared. Wrinkling her nose at the malodorous smell of droppings, the prefect descended the stairs and decided that the best to ask Ron would be when Lavender wasn't around. Tonight would be the perfect time, as they had prefect duties. Hermione would ask him when they were patrolling the corridors.

Except that all did not go as planned. Lavender had become a worthy adversary, as she stalked the pair and heard every word that Hermione had said. Ron had no choice but to decline, although he did so apologetically. For the rest of the night, Hermione had to deal with Lavender's whining that she was trying to steak her boyfriend. To no avail, Hermione explained that she only wanted him to come to the party as a friend. When they reached the common room, Hermione was so fed up with Lavender and Ron that she stormed past Harry and Parvati without saying goodnight.

So, when the Weasley twins' reply came during mail time in just three days, it couldn't help but boost her spirits. To her dismay, her galleons slid out of the envelope when she tore it open. Was there a limit on daydream charms that she'd overlooked? Sighing, she settled down to read their letter.

_Dear Hermione,_

_We apologize for not telling you that the second charm that you received was everlasting, meaning you don't need pay for a new one. You will find your money enclosed in this envelope. Since you are our friend, we decided to give you an everlasting charm. Please do not think we are giving you an unnecessary discount; we heard how you saved Ginny's life last week. Your everlasting charm still has the thirty minute time interval as before. Do be careful with your charm, as it is one of two everlasting charms. (Ginny's is the other) _

_You have some excellent questions; we'll do our best to answer them without giving away all of our secrets! In answer to your question about your pirate, yes, he is real. With the help of an old time-turner, a homing charm, and some good ol' Weasley genius, you are transported into his time. However, as your body is left in the wizarding world, any damage that happens while you are dreaming will not last when you awaken. _

_Please tell your classmates that from now on, when they buy a daydream charm, half of the proceeds will go to St. Mungo's hospital. Business is booming, and we want to donate some of our profits to help the staff heal those injured by the likes of You-Know-Poo. Again, thank you for looking out for our little sister, and enjoy your pirate!_

_Sincerely yours,_

_Gred and Forge_

Hermione stared fondly at the letter after she'd read it twice. _Amazing, the twins were actually giving away some of their hard earned money._ She couldn't believe that she had one of two everlasting daydream charms! That meant she could see Will practically anytime that she wanted. And she wanted to see him right now! The only problem was that it was time for Flitwick's class. _No, I really shouldn't; I don't want to fall behind. I'll wait until tonight._ Pocketing the letter, she walked with Harry to Charms.

"Good afternoon, class!" Tiny Professor Flitwick beamed at his students. "Today, we will continue practicing our non-verbal spells. Everyone could use more practice, although I must say that Miss Granger has mastered almost all non-verbal spells that I can think of! Well done!" Others stared at her enviously as she faintly blushed. "Now, Mr. Longbottom, will you come up front and demonstrate…" Soft giggles floated from the table in the corner. Before she could stop herself, Hermione turned around, knowing exactly who was causing the distractions. Under the table, Lavender was sensuously rubbing Ron's leg. He was grimacing and trying not to make any noises that would reveal his embarrassing predicament. Hermione ground her teeth in fury. She'd had quite enough of the two, thank you very much.

"Harry…pssst," she whispered.

"What?" he whispered back.

"Make sure you pay attention and get our homework. I'm going to be zoning out for awhile." His eyes widened as he realized what she was about to do.

"'Mione, I don't want to, erm, intrude on your dream like I did before."

"Just make sure that no one touches me during the next thirty minutes." He nodded, and she performed the non-verbal spell that sent her careening back through time to land on the _Black Pearl_.

Hermione leapt to her feet and began to search the deck for Will, weaving in and out of the confused crew members. Finally she came upon Jack at the helm.

"Captain Sparrow, where is Will?" Jack jumped as he took in the sight of her.

"Hermione, darling, don't take this the wrong way, but this isn't the best time for you to be dropping in. Jack was frowning, holding one hand on the wheel and another on his compass. _I've never seen him this jittery before!_

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because we are about to be caught in a squall," a quiet, lilting voice answered from behind her.

"Will!" breathed Hermione, turning around to give him a hug. "It's so good to see you." He returned her enthusiastic hug, but had to reluctantly pull away.

"Hermione, listen to me," he said, putting his hands on her shoulders. "I want you to go below decks straight away, and stay there until I come for you."

"No, Will," she protested. "You know I can be a great help. With my abilities I can…" He interrupted her.

"I can't take that chance, Hermione. I don't want you to get hurt," he pleaded with her, as his eyes scanned the rapidly darkening sky. Will's piercing brown eyes bore into her as he tried to convince her to stay out of harm's way.

"Thank you for wanting to protect me, but it is ultimately my decision. Unless you are planning on forcing me to go below?"

"No, I wouldn't do that to you," he said, gritting his teeth.

"Good, because I had a good hex in mind if you had." They glared at each other for a moment, distracted only when droplets of rain began to pitter-patter on deck.

"Turner! Hermione! Get yer arses over here and 'elp with the sails!" Jack Sparrow had to yell over the howl of the wind to be heard. Their quarrel forgotten, they followed his orders the best they could. Flashes of lightening lit up the stormy sky, and thunder boomed as the ship was tossed in the perilous sea. Members of the crew were hurled across the deck like limp dolls, and orders were abandoned during the chaos.

It had gotten so dark that Hermione could barely see her hand in front of her face. She stuck close to Will, grabbing onto his shirt as he found them a place to sit that was relatively safe. By now, the rain was blowing sideways in sheets and everyone on board the Pearl was soaked to the skin. Will pulled a shivering Hermione close, and shielded her from the rain as much as he could.

"Help meeeeeeee! I'm stuck!" A strangled cry was barely audible, but Will and Hermione could hear it. As the next lightening streak lit up the sky, they saw a crewman clinging to the rigging just below the Crow's Nest.

"I'm going after him," he told Hermione.

"No, Will!" she moaned. "You mustn't!" But he didn't heed her advice, and stumbled toward the slippery rigging. As he began to ascend, for the first time that day, Hermione was truly terrified. She held her breath as he reached the man, cut his ankle free from the rigging, and started to climb down.

Just then, a particularly powerful wave struck the port side of the ship, causing it to teeter dangerously on its starboard side. For one terrible moment, the young witch was certain that the _Pearl_ was going to capsize, but she righted herself at the last second. But as the ship was thrown once again by the sea, Hermione saw two figures tumbling from the high rigging into the ocean.

"Will!" she screamed. _This is not happening! This is not happening!_

"Men overboard!" Jack heard her, but could not leave the wheel. The pirate captain stared helplessly as a few crewmen flung a few ropes into the sea. They hoped the men would fine a rope, grab hold and then they could be towed to safety.

"We got one," a pirate yelled. The crewmen struggled to bring the man aboard, and during the next flash of lightening, Hermione saw that it wasn't Will.

"No," she whispered desperately. But then she saw him; he was floating just out of reach of the ropes. Each time he tried to swim towards one, the waves kept throwing him back.

"There he is!" One of the men had also spotted Will, who was struggling to hold his head above water. _Hold on, Will. Merlin, I hope this works. 'Wingardium Leviosa!'_ The young witch concentrated harder on this non-verbal spell than she had on any other. To the astonishment of the crew, Will's body began to slowly rise out of the water and headed towards the ship. Hermione was sweating now from her efforts. _I must not drop him, I must not drop him. _ She kept repeating the mantra over and over in her mind. Closer and closer he drifted, as Hermione maintained her hold on the young pirate. Shaking like a leaf, she made sure that he hovered over the deck before she released her hold, allowing the other pirates to catch him. The young witch collapsed on the deck from pure exhaustion as Will coughed and sputtered on his knees, a bit further away.

"Hermione!" He called feebly. "Where is…" The crewman who he'd saved answered him.

"Why she's right over there…" the man trailed off as he noticed her still form lying on the deck. "Fellows, help me rouse this one!" Leaving Will, they carefully sat her up against some crates. "Miss, are you alright? Can you hear me?" They got no response.

"Hermione?" Will croaked. He had dragged himself over to where she was sitting, and let out a sigh of relief as he saw her chest rise and fall. "She's just unconscious." He turned to the men and asked, "how did this happen?" The crew looked at each other uncomfortably.

"We don't exactly know that, sir," a pirate answered. "One minute she was fine standing next to us, the next she'd collapsed." Will could tell from their guarded expressions that they weren't telling him everything.

"And what happened to me? How did I get here? All I remember was that I was drowning, and then I woke up here." The pirates didn't really know how to answer that one. Luckily they didn't have to.

"How is she?" The pirates spun around to see Jack standing over her, looking very worried.

"Captain!" one pirate cried. "You can't be leavin' the wheel like that - you'll sink us all!" Jack tiredly rung out the water from his dreadlocks.

"Gentlemen, you should take into consideration that the storm has almost completely passed. Mr. Gibbs is at the helm at the moment." The pirate muttered his apology. Jack waved his hand. "Let's get her down to my bed. You too, Turner. You'll need a good night's rest after what you've been through. Will was too fatigued to protest, and was soon helped down to Jack's cabin by one of the crew. Jack carried Hermione right behind them, and gently laid her on his clean, comfortable bed.

"I've got to check on the rest 'o me crew, but I'll be down to check on ye later. Will nodded, and carefully sank into the bed next to Hermione. He'd only lay there a minute before she began to stir.

"Will?" she cried.

"Yes, love, I'm here." Will sat up next to her, and tenderly smoothed the hair away from her face.

"Water…need water," she whispered. He quickly found a glass and filled it with water from a pitcher that Jack had left. Helping her sit up, Will tilted the glass so that she could drink properly. "Thank you, I feel much better now." Will decided to ask her a question he was certain that he knew the answer to.

"Hermione, did you rescue me from the ocean?"

"Yes," she told him, bravely. He gaped at her; this young witch had stretched her powers to the limits all for him.

"You almost killed yourself doing it! Don't you ever do that again on my behalf!" Hermione's bottom lip trembled.

"I couldn't sit back and let you die, William! I could never live with myself if I'd let that happen." She buried her face in his chest, and he held her close.

"Damn it, Hermione; I'm sorry. Truly, I am grateful that you saved my life. I shouldn't have gotten angry. Please forgive me?"

"It's quite alright," she said with dignity. "You are forgiven." They were silent for awhile, just enjoying being close to each other.

"Why did you come to see me today, anyways?" He kissed the top of her head, and she sighed happily.

"I wanted some more of your advice about my friend Ron."

"Ah yes," Will nodded wisely. "He still hasn't realized what he's missing out on?" When Hermione sadly shook her head, he gave her a sweet, gentle kiss which she tiredly returned. "Then I'm afraid you'll have to resort to drastic measures. Make him jealous."

"But how, Will?"

"Let him see you with another boy."

"Oh dear, I'll have to figure out who to ask. It would be so much easier if I could just take _you_ back with me." He smirked at that.

"But that wouldn't be fair – I'm so much older, I'm more mature, I'm better looking…" She frowned at him and he stopped. "Just joking," he said hastily. "But seriously, you should try it. It really works; at least it did with me." Will turned away from Hermione and stared out the porthole.

"Alright; I'll take your advice." Will snapped out of his memories and smiled at her.

"Good." They shared a long kiss, one that Hermione didn't want to end. But then she felt the fog closing in, and knew that their time was up.

"I'll see you soon Will, I promise," she called.

"I'm looking forward to it," he told her, softly. Then she found herself spinning, flying away from the pirate ship, and back into the Charms classroom.

Opening her eyes, she found the class was still in full swing, as everyone was still practicing their non-verbal spells.

"Oh good, you're awake," stated Harry, looking very relieved.

"Yes, I am," she said. "Amazing, I feel fine!" Harry looked at her, confused. "Er, Harry, who was it that you almost let play Keeper on our team? The one that flew almost as well as Ron?

"That was Cormac McLaggen," he recalled. "Why'd you want to know?" Hermione innocently shrugged.

"You'll find out tonight." Harry knew better than to ask any further, and returned to practicing non-verbal spells.

End Ch. 6

A/N: Whew, that was the longest chapter I've EVER written! You all are getting spoiled. :D Lucky Hermione, she gets lots of attention from Will AND Jack! I really worked my little heart out here…reviews are really appreciated! Does anyone want to take a guess as to why Hermione and the pirates got caught in a storm this time, as opposed to the first two times? (No, it's not because the author said so.)


	7. Revelations and Accusations

Disclaimer: Hermione, Ginny and the other HP characters belong to JKR, not me. Jack and Will from PotC belong to Disney.

A/N: I just want to apologize for not updating sooner. I've been incredibly busy, going through rush and joining a sorority, starting college, homework, etc. But I haven't forgotten this story, don't worry. But the updates will be a bit more infrequent.

Rcaqua: I'm glad you liked the part with Balian. ;) I just had to put that in there, for the die hard Orlando fans. Thanks for the idea, I'm seriously considering it if my readers agree.

Tears-that-fall: Okay, that's another person who wants them to come back to Hogwarts! Haha, you just can't compare Won-won to Will, the delicious looking pirate. You are too funny! Thanks for making me smile.

InwePirate-Elf: Well, this chapter isn't as long but after ch. six, I don't feel so bad. Thankfully, it's not storming because it's dangerous for her to be around Will. Do you think I would do that to you?

SenatorSolo: Don't worry, they aren't going to rescue Elizabeth. I'll explain more about that later.

Legolover: Yep, Hermione's gonna do her best to make Ron notice her. But even the best laid plans go astray… Thanks so much for the review…Tally ho the fox, indeed!

Avchocholic and Captain-Ammie: Thanks.

WillsOneLove: Yay! I'm glad you liked it…I had fun writing it too. Yeah, as much fun as it would be to be rescued by Will, I also try to have the heroine do her share of the rescuing. ;) Hey, I'm just glad you went back and reviewed me; that was so nice of you!

Jellemegg: I'm glad the story kept your interest! Keep reading, I'll try not to disappoint.

LighteningExperience: Your shining review made my day! Seriously. Are you trying to inflate my ego? ;) Haha. Yes I did feel that everyone's questions were important enough to be answered as part of the story. I think it makes the plot more believable. You hit the head on the nail…one of the side effects of the daydream charms is that the weather will be affected by the mood/feelings of the caster. Yes indeed, her emotions are mixed-up/chaotic, resulting in a tumultuous storm. Poor Will had to suffer the consequences! It's a bit like occulemency really, next time she needs to clear her mind and calm down before casting the charm.

Ch. 7: Revelations and Accusations

Hermione grinned; she had just figured out the perfect plan to make Ron notice her. It was the evening of Slughorn's Christmas party – the best time to put her plan into action. All afternoon, she and Parvati had gone over the details of what to say. Right now, Parvati was acting her part beautifully, innocently carrying out a conversation with Harry. Ron wasn't paying attention; he ignored his best friend when Lavender had thrown her arms around his neck.

"Hi Harry," said Parvati, looking embarrassed at Lavender's public display of affection.

"Hi," said Harry. "How're you? You're staying at Hogwarts then? I heard your parents wanted you to leave."

"I managed to talk them out of it for the time being," said Parvati. "Padma and I would've been absolutely devastated if we had to go…Oh hi, Hermione!" Parvati positively beamed as Hermione walked downstairs into the common room. Hermione beamed back, possibly even more brightly.

"Hi, Parvati," said Hermione, ignoring Ron and Lavender completely. "Are you going to Professor Slughorn's party tonight?"

"No invite," said Parvati gloomily. "I'd love to go though, it sounds like it's going to be really fun…You're going, aren't you?"

"Yes, I'm meeting Cormac at eight, and we're –" Ron pulled away from Lavender's embrace in surprise. _Excellent, my plan is working!_ Hermione continued as if nothing had happened. "We're going to the party together."

"Cormac?" said Parvati. "You mean Cormac McLaggen, that super-hot seventh year?"

"That's right," said Hermione sweetly. "The one who _almost_ became the Gryffindor Keeper."

"Are you going out with him, then?" asked Parvati, wide-eyed.

"Oh – yes – didn't you know?" said Hermione, giggling in a falsetto voice.

"No!" said Parvati. "Wow, you like your Quidditch players, don't you? First Viktor Krum, then McLaggen…"

"I like really good Quidditch players," Hermione corrected her, still smiling. "Well, see you…got to go and get ready for the party." After noting that Ron looked strangely blank, a smirking Hermione left the room. _Yes! It worked. Ron is totally jealous…now on to phase two._

Hermione fixed her hair and pulled on her best set of dress robes, bright crimson for the festive occasion. Once she was satisfied that her looks were going to knock Cormac dead (and hopefully Ron for that matter), did she retreat downstairs. Cormac was waiting for her in the common room, and, as she predicted, was completely flabbergasted.

"Hermione, you look, er," he fidgeted nervously, "very nice."

"Thank you, Cormac," she said, her voice raised a bit more than usual. "You too look very dashing in your dress robes. Are they new?" As soon as the seventh year began his long-winded response, Hermione scanned the room for Ron. Her heart sank – Lavender had obviously noticed when she came downstairs. Ron's back was to her for he was in deep discussion with his girlfriend. _Well, the best I can do now to get Ron's attention is when Cormac and I return from the party._

"Shall we go, then?" Cormac dashed her thoughts. She smiled at him, flashing her perfectly straightened teeth.

"Fine with me." They left for Slughorn's office along with Ginny, Dean, and Harry (who met Luna along the way). When the group reached Slughorn's, the party was in full swing. Slughorn greeted them cheerfully and welcomed them inside. Cormac headed directly for the refreshments and Hermione had no choice but to directly follow, leaving her friends behind.

"Eggnog?" He offered her.

"No thanks, Cormac. I'm still underage, remember?" The quidditch player rolled his eyes at her.

"Hermione, Hermione…couldn't you just let your hair down for once? Bend the rules a little? It wouldn't kill you - you might actually enjoy it." She shook her head no.

"I am a prefect; I don't feel comfortable going against the rules when I'm one who helps to enforce them," she told him firmly.

"Hey, whatever." He held up his hands in defense. "You don't have to be so defensive about it." He ran his fingers through his hair, oozing self-confidence. "Did I ever tell you about the time I caught the last quaffle, winning the match for…" _Ugh this guy should hear himself._ Hermione zoned out as Cormac treated her to several stories about how certain Quidditch matches were won due to his spectacular saves. Her thoughts drifted to Will Turner instead. _Hm, I wonder how Will would look without his shirt?_

"…meet my friends?" Hermione blinked, embarrassed at where her train of thoughts were heading. Cormac stared at her expectantly.

"Of course, I'd love to meet them," she answered automatically. He grinned and led her through the crowd, coming to an abrupt stop. Hermione looked at him quizzically, but before she could ask, he pointed to the ceiling. She and Cormac were standing directly under the mistletoe. Before she had a chance to protest, he swooped down and captured her lips with a big, wet, sloppy kiss. Hermione inwardly cringed the entire time. _This is nothing like when Will snogs me. He always savors the moment by taking his time, whereas Cormac is sucking my face off! _ After what seemed like forever, he pulled away, allowing Hermione to breathe.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"I…" she stammered weakly, not wanting to hurt his feelings. He smirked at her, interpreting her silence for breathlessness. "Er, Cormac, I'd like to return to the common room now."

"Of course." He held out his hand and she reluctantly took it. Soon they'd left the merry hubbub of the party behind, and an odd hush fell over the corridors as Hermione and Cormac headed for Gryffindor tower.

"Finally," he growled and pushed her into a hidden alcove. McLaggen muffled Hermione's startled cry, kissing her roughly. He tore off her outer robe and began to grope her breasts. _Okay, just stay calm. Non-verbal spells…I know! _With all her might, Hermione concentrated on the spell for the full-body bind -_ Petrificus totalus._ Suddenly McLaggen flew away from her, and landed on the floor with a resounding thump, his entire being frozen. Letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding, she backed away from her attacker. _Oh Merlin, that pervert violated me!_ She was so upset, she didn't want to talk to anyone yet, not even Ginny. _I have to go someplace where I'll be left alone so I can sort out my thoughts._

Hiccupping through her sobs, the young witch raced down the mostly deserted corridors. Several students gave her concerned glances but she never noticed or cared. Tears blinded her vision, but she knew these twists and turns like the back of her hand. Finally she reached her dreary destination.

"Oh, it's you. Hello," said a gloomy voice.

"Hi Myrtle," sniffled Hermione, who had calmed down somewhat by this time. "How have you been?"

"What a dreadful thing to ask!" blubbered the teenage ghost. "I'm dead and lonely; how would you be?"

"I'm sorry, Myrtle," Hermione said sincerely.

"You never come to visit me anymore; I missed that." The young witch gulped, as she didn't know how to answer without hurting Myrtle's feelings. The only reason why she, Harry, and Ron had ever gone to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom was to work on the Polyjuice potion in their second year.

"Well, you see…" The ghost interrupted her.

"But I do have a regular visitor. He's such a nice boy, about your age. The poor thing is always so upset, and the least I can do is try to comfort him." Hermione frowned.

"Myrtle, who…" The bathroom door was flung open revealing a teary-eyed boy, startling them both. Hermione gasped in surprise. Myrtle's frequent visitor was none other than…

"Draco?" Hermione asked tentatively. "Are you alright?" Malfoy's expression instantly hardened.

"Since when do you care, Mudblood?" Hermione saw directly through his arrogant front. The most common thing that made students cry these days was when a family member had been murdered by the Death Eaters.

"Draco, did something happen to your family?" His eyes grew haunted and he quickly sat down, but refused to answer.

"Don't be so stubborn, Draco. Tell her," urged Myrtle. Why Malfoy decided to confide in her, Hermione could never guess. Perhaps he needed to vent to someone who was actually human.

"It's my father. You know how he's in Azkaban?" Hermione nodded and he continued. "Well, he's slowly being poisoned, I just got a letter from Mum today that he's slowly getting worse each day."

"It's not your fault," said Hermione, doing her best to console him.

"Yes it is, you don't understand," he said miserably. "I know you met him once, and you can't see why I care about him, but he's my father. There are times when he isn't completely concerned with his job or his wealth. Those times are few, but I have glimpsed what he really is, deep down. And for that reason, I must save him."

"But you can't do anything, Draco," Hermione gently reminded him. You can't just march into Azkaban and demand his release! Sometimes things happen that we have no control over."

"But I can." He refused to meet her eyes, and she sighed. "You must swear not to repeat to anyone what you've just heard in this bathroom."

"I swear; your secret is safe with me," Hermione promised.

"Out of curiosity, not that I care mind you, what made _you_ so upset?" Hermione shook her head.

"It wasn't anything too terrible. I'm going to bed. I do hope your father will be alright." Draco curtly nodded at her, which was as much of a thank you as his pride would allow.

Hermione raced back to the common room, where she found an irritated Harry being ignored once again by Ron and Lavender.

"Hi Harry," she greeted him, flopping down on a couch.

"Hermione, boy am I ever glad to see you! Ron won't talk to me." She rolled her eyes.

"What else is new?"

"Listen, this is very important." Hermione nodded seriously and gave him her full attention. "Remember how I kept telling you that Malfoy is a Death Eater? Now I'm positive." Harry told her how he'd followed Malfoy after he left the party and overheard his discussion with Snape.

"I'm telling you, he practically admitted to poisoning Katie Bell. He mentioned some sort of mission that he had to complete, but that it was giving him problems. Whatever he's up to, it can't be good," Harry concluded.

"I believe you, Harry." He stared at her incredulously.

"You do?" She sighed.

"Yes. I just came from Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, where Malfoy had been crying."

"What? Malfoy? Yeah right," Harry scoffed.

"It's true! Now you have to promise not to tell anyone, okay?" Harry promised and she continued.

"His father is being slowly poisoned in Azkaban." Harry let out a low whistle as she explained that Draco thought it was his fault that his father was dying.

"What are the odds?" Harry rested his chin on his elbow as he thought for a few moments. "I think that whoever assigned the mysterious mission to Malfoy is trying to make him work faster by poisoning his father."

"Now that I've heard your story, I think so too," Hermione agreed. "But what can we do about it? After all you've already told your suspicions to Dumbledore…" Clearly eaves-dropping, Lavender abruptly cut her off mid-sentence.

"My my, Hermione. You sure do get around. First Cormac and now Malfoy all in one night? Even I didn't think that you'd stoop so low to be with a Slytherin." Ron turned toward Hermione, looking slightly repulsed.

"I didn't"! "She didn't!" Hermione and Harry simultaneously protested.

"But weren't you alone with Malfoy in the bathroom?" Lavender asked with a mean glint in her eye.

"Well, yes but…"

"Aha!" Lavender crowed. "You admit it!"

"Moaning Myrtle was there," Hermione pointed out lamely. Lavender smirked,

"Well then I guess that makes it alright for you to snog Malfoy since a _ghost_ was present."

"Ron, I did not snog Malfoy! You do believe me, don't you?" Ron just stared at her with a faintly hurt expression. Harry tried to convince him otherwise, but to no avail since he did not see what took place in the bathroom.

"I'm going up to bed," announced Ron, in a strange high-pitched voice. "I hope everyone has a happy Christmas." And then he raced up the stairs as if he couldn't stand to be in Hermione's presence for one more second.

"Good night Harry, Hermione," Lavender said sweetly, nodding to them in turn. As soon as Lavender's back had faded out of sight, Hermione exploded.

"That girl is going to get it one of these days! Can you believe her!" Harry shook his head.

"I don't know what Ron sees in her."

"Harry, why didn't Ron believe me?" The boy-who-lived sighed.

"Maybe Ron doesn't know what to believe right now. He seems to have lost the ability to think for himself. But don't worry about it, I know you and Malfoy didn't, you know…"

"Thanks Harry," she said, gratefully. "Are you staying with him over the holiday?"

"Yes. I'll try to knock some sense into him. When he goes home at least Lavender won't be around to distract him. But I know that eventually Ron will realize that you are still as virtuous as ever." Hermione gave him a small smile. _I'm lucky to have a true friend like Harry. _She made a mental note to tell Ginny how Harry had stuck up for her. She'd like to know that.

Just then Dean and Ginny burst through the portrait hole. And they were arguing, again._ This is the second time this week! Their relationship is becoming rockier by the day._ Harry, she was pleased to note, seemed to perk up a bit when he noticed their fight.

"Harry, mate, would you mind coming upstairs? I've got something I want to discuss with you," Dean asked. No, demanded was more like it.

"Sure," Harry said, in a non-committal tone. "Good-night, everybody." As soon as they left, Hermione rushed over to Ginny to find out what was wrong.

"It's nothing," Ginny waved her hand in the air. "Dean just wants to get more serious and I don't. That's all."

"That's rough," Hermione said, sympathetically. "Boys are stupid." Ginny smiled wryly. "But Harry was really something today…" She told the redhead how he'd defended her and Ginny absolutely glowed.

"My brother is a moron; I'm so glad Harry stood up for you." Hermione still looked glum so Ginny decided to tell her an idea that'd been festering in her head for awhile.

"When we come back to school, what'd you say we plan our daydreams at the exact same time? Then Jack, Will, you and I can have an adventure together!" Hermione squealed,

"Oh Gin, that'd be prefect! I only wish I'd thought of it." Ginny grinned, happy to see her friend's good spirits return.

"Hey, you can't be a genius all the time." Hermione bopped her in the arm good-naturedly.

"I'm so looking forward to it. Well, I hope you have a grant holiday, and get lots of presents."

"Same to you," Ginny replied. "Sleep well!"

The girls headed off to their separate suites to get ready for bed. In the morning, they would travel by floo to their holiday destination (in Hermione's case, muggle London) where they could spend time with their families. That night, Hermione looked forward to seeing her parents and spending a nice, quiet holiday away from the threats of the wizarding world. She fell asleep to Crookshanks' soft purring and Parvati's gentle snores.

End Ch. 7

Who wants to have Will and Jack accidentally end up in Hogwarts? Tell me in your reviews if you like that idea or not…


	8. Partying can be Dangerous!

Disclaimer: Hermione, Ginny and the other HP characters belong to JKR, not me. Jack and Will from PotC belong to Disney.

A/N: In response to the overwhelming majority, I've decided to have Will and Jack end up at Hogwarts. I hope those of you who weren't as keen on that idea will still keep reading, for I will try to make it as interesting as possible. I had so much fun writing this; I hope it shows! Thanks to all that reviewed!

Ch. 8: Partying can be dangerous!

The Christmas holiday flew by too quickly for Hermione's taste. On the second of January, she returned to Hogwarts via floo. The start of the second semester began without incident unless you count Filch accidentally getting stuck in the remainder of the Weasley twins' memorial swamp. At breakfast, Hermione conversed with her friends, inquiring about their holiday and such.

Unfortunately, Ron didn't seem to want anything to do with her more than he did before the break. Young mister Weasley had his arm casually draped around his girlfriend's waste as he chatted with Dean about (what else?) Quidditch. _Great – Lavender and Won-won are still going strong._

"I'm sorry, Hermione," said Harry, who had noticed what had drawn the now frowning witch's gaze. "I tried to tell him that he needed to stop believing everything that Lavender told him, but then he got all shirty with me. Since it was the holiday, I didn't want to press the matter."

"S'ok, Harry. Anyway, how was your break?" Hermione quickly changed the subject, hoping that her friend didn't see how much the news had hurt her.

"It was better than the Dursley's, of course. However, tempers were running high – especially between Mrs. Weasley and Fleur. And when Percy showed up, that didn't help either." Harry filled Hermione in about what happened at the Burrow as they contentedly ate their breakfast.

"Hi Hermione, Harry!" a cheerful voice greeted them from behind. It was none other than Ginny Weasley. Recognizing her voice, Harry spun around to face her, imitating a top.

"Hey, Gin!" Hermione said.

"How was your break?" Harry asked nonchalantly. Both Ginny and Hermione looked at him like he'd sprouted a unicorn horn.

"You were with me all break, Harry," Ginny pointed out lightly. Mr. Potter flushed and stammered,

"Right. Sorry. I've been asking people all morning…"

"No harm done," said Ginny. "Just don't let it happen again," she kidded him. Harry gave her a weak smile.

"I won't. I don't know what got into me."

"I do!" grinned Hermione. Ginny looked at her quizzically and Harry gave her a death glare before grabbing his books and mumbling something about being late for class.

"What's wrong with him? We still have ten minutes of breakfast left!" Ginny worried as Harry hurriedly left.

"Nothing," Hermione assured her friend. "He's just in loooooooooove with a certain redhead." Ginny bopped her in the arm.

"Get serious, 'Mione. He's not interested in me."

"I am serious!" she protested as Ginny shook her head in disbelief.

"Anyway, contrary to your belief, I did _not_ come over to talk to Harry. I wanted to get your opinion on an idea that I came up with over break, regarding the daydream charms…" Miss Weasley went on to explain to her friend about her new theory: if they cast their charms around the same time, it was possible that they would see each other.

"Hey, I'm willing to give it a shot. It's been forever since I've seen Will; I was considering casting the charm over break even though I'm underage." The young witch stared off into the distance with a dreamy, glazed expression.

"It's been two weeks, Hermione," said Ginny, rolling her eyes at her friend's lack of patience. "Quit exaggerating."

"Oh come on Gin. Don't tell me you haven't been thinking of Jack over break?" Ginny opened her mouth to defend herself, but thought the better of it. Apparently she'd remembered something that made her blush and she had to look away from her friend. Smirking, Hermione teased her friend.

"Would you like to share what you're thinking with the class?" Poor Ginny blushed harder and ignored Hermione's friendly jabs by eating the rest of her toast.

"Well, I'm off. I hope to see you at lunch…or sooner." Ginny winked at her friend and then left the Great Hall for class. _If this works, we're going to have so much fun together. Just us and our pirate boys._ She finished the last of her breakfast and gathered her stuff.

Barely able to contain her excitement, Hermione hurried to Charms. If they timed it just right, she and Ginny would be able to spend their daydreams _together_ with Will and Jack. (Ginny had History of Magic at the same time) The girls would be casting their charms on the hour, and with a little luck, their plan would transpire beautifully.

"Psst, Harry!" Hermione hissed, vying for his attention during the commotion as her classmates reached for their wands and books.

"What?" he whispered back. "Let me guess. You want me to cover for you so you can go visit Wiiiiiiiiiill again." He raised his eyebrows as he emphasized Will's name, and she felt her cheeks grow hot. Smirking at her, he clearly enjoyed the effects that his teasing was having.

"That's right," admitted a still red Hermione, through gritted teeth. "But you'd better stop teasing me, or else I'll tell Ginny that you've fancied her for months."_ There, that ought to shut him up. _Harry's mouth fell agape but he quickly recovered.

"I do not fancy Ginny! You better not breath a word to her…you wouldn't, right?" Hermione shrugged innocently and he glared at her.

"Hermione…" he said warningly.

"Oh alright; I won't tell Ginny that you like her," she reluctantly promised.

"Good," said Harry, looking extremely relieved.

"That's something you need to tell her yourself!" Harry groaned and shook his head. As he repeatedly denied his obvious affections for the youngest Weasley, Hermione wisely stifled her laughter.

"Save it, Potter; I'm leaving." Miss Granger looked around furtively and then cast the charm that would transport her directly to the handsome pirate extraordinaire, Will Turner. Upon her smooth incoming, Hermione found that Ginny was already aboard the _Black Pearl_, conversing with Will near the bow.

"You made it!" Ginny cheerily waved at her as her deep emerald gown swished in the pleasant Caribbean breeze.

"Yeah. You been here long?" Hermione asked as she sprinted towards them.

"Nope, just got here," Ginny answered as Hermione jumped into Will's open arms. He spun her around and she squealed happily. _This definitely beats class._ As soon as Will released her, she noticed a change in her pirate's normal attire. He was wearing light blue pants and a dress coats with gold buttons, and had tied back his gorgeous sun-kissed dark hair. Besides sporting new clothes, Mr. Turner looked considerably cleaner than he had last time.

"You look ever so dashing, Will, but why so formal? What's the special occasion?" Hermione asked, as inquisitive as ever. He smiled mysteriously.

"You'll see. It's a surprise." Just then she realized that a certain inebriated pirate captain was missing.

"Where's Jack?" Will let out a rich guffaw, and had to grip the side of the ship to keep from falling over.

"He's getting ready." She exchanged a look with Ginny, who shrugged.

"Getting ready for what?"

"Getting ready to go ashore," Will replied truthfully. Hermione looked around and saw that they were indeed anchored adjacent to land.

"So?" said a confused Hermione. "You must stop for supplies every once in awhile. Why is that funny?" Her question was answered as Jack suddenly appeared from below decks.If she didn't know better, Hermione wouldn't have guessed that the man standing before her was the notorious Captain Jack Sparrow. All of the grime and dirt had vanished as well as his braided beard. The dreadlocks had disappeared and when he smiled, somehow his teeth looked less gold. The pirate looked every bit as respectable as Will, but managed to come off looking as ridiculous due to his over large ornate three-cornered hat and (get this) a powdered wig.

Hermione was so shocked all she could do was stare. Ginny, however, had no qualms about expressing her feelings. She shook with laughter, and after she calmed down tears of mirth glistened in her eyes. Jack was not fazed one bit by the girls' reactions; he was enjoying the attention as usual.

"Yeh like me new look, girls?"

"It's interesting," said Hermione, truthfully, not knowing what else to say.

"Don't be stealin' me lines, luv," Sparrow said playfully. Hermione was confused, and Will just shook his head in amusement. Ginny's curiosity got the better of her.

"I hate to ask, Jack, but why have you decided to become respectable?"

"You wound me, luv," Jack clutched his chest dramatically. "I would never think of doin' such a thing. Yeh see, Will and I wanted to take you to a party, but we needed to be able to blend in with the aristocrats. So I changed me look."

"Well, I think you look positively dashing," Ginny told him, and Jack beamed. "Except for the wig." He sighed and turned to her as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I want to look convincing, alright? One of us had to wear it, and since the whelp refused, it was left up to me."

"Will you stop calling him that!" Hermione defended Will furiously. Will gave Jack a smug smile and the Captain threw up his hands.

"Alright, _Will_ refused ta wear the wig. Ya happy now?" Hermione nodded primly.

"I don't mean to be rude, but our time here is slipping away," Ginny interjected. "Can we go now?"

"By all means, luv!" exclaimed Jack. "The sooner we get ta the party, the sooner I can have me rum!" He linked arms with Ginny, and Will held out his right arm and Hermione graciously accepted it. The pirates helped the girls walk down from the ship across a make-shift bridge of wooden planks. Using their swords, Will and Jack hacked a path through the bush until they found a worn dirt trail.

"Jack where are we?" Hermione asked as they trudged along, shaded from the scorching Caribbean sun.

"Well, I believe the storm blew us off course, putting us on the side o' Jamaica farthest from Port Royal." He paused for a moment, scratching his now-beardless chin. "And if me eyes are correct, we're approachin' civilization." Jack was right; a minute later they'd reached the outskirts of a settlement, and judging by the sign, it was called 'Elizabethton'.

"There it is, the town hall; where the party is being held," Will announced, pointing to their left.

"How are we going to get in without an invitation?" Hermione worried.

"Yeah! And we can't keep calling you by your real names. What if someone hears?" Ginny pointed out. Jack grinned, looking at the girls as if Christmas had come early.

"Leave that ta me, savvy?" Hermione gave Will a look that said _why does that not make me feel better?_ But when he pulled her close, nuzzled her, and kissed her neck lightly, Hermione miraculously forgot all her previous concerns.

It did not take long for the group to reach the town hall. Jack wasted no time in knocking on the French doors, and the young witches barely had time to brush off the dirt they'd accumulated. Since Ginny was making sure Jack's wig was securely in place, she didn't notice when Hermione's hands began to shake. But Will did.

"You look beautiful," he told her softly. "You'll be the envy of every gentleman at the party. Don't worry; we're going to have a lot of fun in there. Jack can talk circles around these pompous lords and ladies." She nodded, feeling a bit better about their situation. Suddenly, the door was opened and strains of lilting classical music reached their ears.

"Good evening," said the butler. "Whom do I have the pleasure of meeting?" Jack took a few stiff steps towards him and cleared his throat.

"I am Baron von Crowe and this," he gestured towards Will, "is my newly-appointed partner, Lord Baylor." Hermione had to admit; Jack's thick German accent was pretty decent.

"May I present to you, Lady von Crowe." Ginny curtsied on cue and the butler gave her an appreciative nod. Now Will spoke up.

"May I present my lovely wife, Mrs. Baylor." Again, the butler gave her an admiring nod, but his eyes quickly returned to his list.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you aren't on the list. You may not enter without an invitation under Lord Cromwell's direct orders." The butler frowned at them suspiciously, but Jack had anticipated this.

"Son, I'm Baron von Crowe, owner of the finest sugar refinery in all of the Caribbean. You have heard of me?" When the butler regretfully shook his head no, Jack barged on.

"My wife and I, along with my partner and his wife, have just disembarked from a rather perilous journey. We have already missed the beginning of the party, and do not wish to dishonor our host any further. Lord Cromwell and I have a long history of business deals; I can't understand why we're not on the list!" Jack's face was starting to redden and his fists were clenched.

"Darling, now don't get into a temper. I'm sure it's only a misunderstanding," Ginny tried to 'soothe' him to no effect. "Remember what the doctor said…" Jack cut her off.

"This is an outrage! When I see Cromwell, I'll be sure to tell him how incompetent you are!" The butler shrank back in fear, as Jack looked just short of a tantrum.

"Oh no, sir! Please don't do that! I'm sure it was a mistake – why don't you go on in."

"Thank you," Will said, flippantly. He and Jack escorted the girls past him without another word. Once inside, they had to contain their awe regarding the lavish environment. Chandeliers glittered in every room, ornate tapestries decorated the walls, and servants moved about offering refreshments. (To their amusement, Jack badgered one of the maids into finding him some rum.) Gathered here were the most affluent Muggles that Hermione had ever seen. Before long, the group found themselves in the ballroom, where couples performed the 'latest' dances to music provided by a live orchestra. Spotting a particularly snobby-looking man, Jack practically dragged Ginny towards him.

"How are you, good fellow! It's so good to see you," Jack offered his hand, which the bewildered man shook warily. "Don't you remember me? We made a business transaction a few years back." The poor man just stared at Jack, not knowing how to answer.

"Thomas," his wife chided him. "Say something!" Will chuckled.

"That's alright, m'lady. Your husband was one of our best customers, which is why my partner remembers him so well. It is my privilege to introduce to you, Baron von Crowe." Thomas obviously decided it was best to fake recognition.

"Ah yes. I remember now." Jack laughed,

"Of course you do, Thomas. In fact, I have a new proposition for you…" The gentleman looked increasingly uncomfortable as Jack continued to converse with him, and Hermione could barely contain her laughter. Concentrating on the scene before her, she didn't hear someone approach her from behind. When she felt a tap on her shoulder, she jumped in surprise.

"My apologies miss, I didn't mean to startle you." A handsome blonde haired and blue eyed youth smiled at her and Hermione sighed. "I was watching you from across the room, and I wondered if you might fancy a dance. That is, if it's alright with you, sir." Indeed, Will had turned around to see what was happening. Hermione was expecting him to tell off the young man for approaching his wife, but Will only shrugged. _Perhaps he doesn't care._ But then she noticed the hint of jealousy in his narrowed eyes.

"Thank you, but my husband forgot that he promised me the first dance of the night." Hermione stood in front of Will, allowing them to assume their dance positions as the young man quaked under Will's glare and dashed away.

"You could've danced with him, you know," Will mumbled as they glided across the dance floor. Hermione leaned in and whispered in his ear,

"I could've, but I'd rather dance with you." He beamed at her and she grinned back. Hermione had perfected her dancing for the Yule ball in her fourth year, and she was amazed to discover that Mr. Turner made an excellent dancer. When waltzing with Will, time seemed to stop. _I could do this forever, stay safe and warm in his arms._ They whirled together until the music finally came to an end. Out of breath, they went to find Jack and Ginny. They weren't too hard to find. Apparently, 'Baron von Crowe' was a big hit with the guests. Hermione and Will found them in the midst of a large crowd; Jack was chatting up a stuffy old man who he'd convinced was his long-lost uncle.

"Lord Baylor! This fine man has wanted to meet you." Jack gestured for Will and Hermione to join them. "This is my uncle Fred. He was a great seaman back in his day. In fact he was just telling me how he was notorious for catching pirates. Isn't that right?"

"Aye," boomed 'Uncle Fred'. "I could smell a pirate a mile a way," he slurred, having had too much to drink. Will could barely contain his laughter, and even Hermione had to grin.

"Uncle Fred, tell us about the time that you went after the pirate Blackbeard," Ginny egged him on."

"Yes. Well, you see, it went like this…" The man began his fabricated tale and the crowd listened, spellbound. However, about a minute into the story, Will stiffened beside Hermione and gently grabbed her wrist. He prodded Jack with his other hand.

"Lord Baylor, not now," Jack hissed, still enthralled by the story. Just then, a man stood up sporting a look of gleeful recognition.

"It's Sparrow and Turner! After them!" _Oh no. The man must've recognized Will and Jack, even through the disguises. _

"Run!" Will shouted. He pulled Hermione with him through the many rooms until they reached the entrance. Jack and Ginny were right behind them. As they paused to catch their breath, Jack yelled,

"We've gotta keep movin'!" Several off-duty naval officers happened to be at the party and they hastened after the fleeing group. Jack had seen them on their tail, and knew that they had to get out quickly. "Split up!" Will and Hermione were reluctant to leave their friends, but when Jack gave him a direct order, Will couldn't disobey his Captain. While Ginny and Jack sprinted down the street after taking a left, Will and Hermione quickly took a right and then ducked into a dress shop.

"We need to find a place to hide," Will told her, as a group of redcoats ran past outside the shop. Hermione pointed at the dressing room, and Will readily agreed. Ducking into the small room, they barely escaped the attention of the shop owner, who'd just returned from her break. The room was so tiny that Will and Hermione could barely fit, but somehow they did. Will was holding her to him, protectively; Hermione felt the thumping of his still racing heart from their little run. She prayed that Ginny and Jack had found safe refuge for the moment.

"Bring!" The shop's bell sounded, announcing the presence of a band of redcoats. Hermione and Will both tensed, and he hugged her even more tightly. Will's breath was hot on her cheek.

"I'm sorry to bother you, M'am, but have you seen anyone come in lately?"

But Ginny and Jack were faring much worse. In their haste, they ran smack into some redcoats coming from another direction. Jack did his best to fight them off, but not even Captain Sparrow could defeat ten men. When they finally detained him, he did his best to save Ginny.

"I'm sorry I kidnapped yeh, miss…" But Ginny cut him off, shaking her head.

"I'm with him, and if he goes to jail, so do I!" The soldiers were only too happy to escort them both to the town prison.

"What're yeh doin'!" Jack whispered to Ginny.

"I'm not leaving you, Jack," she told him firmly. "I might have a way that can get us both out…"

Back at the dress shop, Will and Hermione were holding their breath, waiting for the woman to answer.

"I haven't seen anyone. Not since this morning." They breathed a little.

"Still, do you mind if I take a look around?" She shrugged.

"By all means." The redcoats spread out and began to search the shop. Inevitably, one yanked back the curtain to their hiding spot and Will and Hermione were discovered. Will knew it was useless to fight, and bravely allowed them to clap him in irons.

"She didn't have anything to do with it…" Will tried to save Hermione, but she wouldn't hear of it.

"I'm just as much pirate as he is," she proclaimed, and they were led directly to the jail. Will glared at her for not trying to escape, but she just gave him a tiny smile.

"I'm staying with you, Will. I won't abandon you – ever." She held onto his chained hand as the redcoats prodded them inside the malodorous prison.

They were unceremoniously shoved into a damp cell adjacent to Jack and Ginny's. As she dusted herself and Will off, Hermione noticed the three guards were stationed in front of their cells. Apparently, the navy wouldn't take any chances that the infamous Jack Sparrow would make another escape under their noses.

"Can't you unlock the door with your wand?" Will whispered. Hermione gave him a sad look.

"I wish I could, Will. And there are too many of them to perform a memory charm. I can't expose the secrets of our world. Especially in the past…who knows what kind of chaos that would create for wizards in my time!"

"I understand," said Will, patting her knee.

"Hermione!" Ginny yelled from her cell. "It's almost time to go back." _No…I won't leave Will here to die!_ "Hold onto Will's hand as tightly as you can!" Puzzled, she did what her friend suggested. It didn't take long for the familiar fog to descend upon the jail, shading the young witches from view as they were transported back to their own time. "Don't let go!" Ginny screamed, as they spun through the air.

When Hermione felt it was safe to open her eyes, she took in the familiar sight of the Charms classroom. But, for some reason, she had the entire class staring at her, along with Harry, Ron, and Professor Flitwick. The class was buzzing with excitement.

"But you can't apparate in Hogwarts!" Seamus exclaimed.

"Who's he?" asked Lavender, interestedly.

"He's gorgeous," one of the girls whispered to her giggling friend. All of the witches were elbowing each other to have a better look at the new arrival.

"Huh?" said Hermione. Then she realized she was clutching something. Or rather someone.

"Will!" she breathed happily. The young pirate had been saved from certain death by being transported directly to Hogwarts, thanks to Ginny's quick thinking. Hermione turned to her professor, ready to explain Will's sudden appearance.

A/N: Ok, who got the huge Orlando in-joke? (Couldn't resist, mate.) ;D Also, yes Jack did arrive with Ginny. Her history class had the same reaction.


	9. Fun with Snape!

Disclaimer: Hermione, Ginny and the other HP characters belong to JKR, not me. Jack and Will from PotC belong to Disney.

AvChocoholic: Will and Jack loose in Hogwarts, yes indeed I'm gonna have lots of fun with it! In fact the whole Voldemort-is-attacking plot may go on hold for a bit, just while the pirate boys are there.

Surrounded by idiots: I'm sorry you're itchy. Here, I updated! You should be ok now.

Cripples: Ooh, a new reviewer! Yes indeed, Will is uberhot! Thanks, dear.

MGoddess & Frida: More new reviewers! Can't tell…that would be cheating!

Captain-Ammie: Thank you!

Legolover: Good luck with your crystal ball…I hope you see yourself sitting in a theatre on the night of Friday October 14…

LighteningExperience: I'm glad you liked it…but what in the world is swamp recognition? Sorry I'm just stupid. ;)

SenatorSolo: Thank you a billion times over! If you hadn't gotten the E-Town reference I would've been sad. But you did! More people should review our Troy stories. Because they rock.

InwePirateElf: Buahaha! I'm cool for putting in Orlando references! Thanks, hun. ;)

WillsOneLove: I'm glad you thought Jack-in-a-wig was funny! I thought so too:D Man, Elizabethtown is premiering in my city but I can go 'cause I'm babysitting. Don't you hate when stuff like that happens?

A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers who got the Orlando reference in the previous chapter.

(WillsOneLove, rcaqua, InwePirateElf, and SenatorSolo) You seriously rock.

Yes, I'm shamelessly marketing his new (modern day!) romantic-comedy, Elizabethtown. Drew _Baylor_ is his character and Cameron _Crowe _is the writer/director of the movie. It comes out on Oct. 14 in the US. I hope you all enjoy this chapter…it gets kind of silly near the end. I'm telling you, Jack Sparrow writes himself!

Ch. 9: Fun with Snape

"What a trying day," moaned Ginny, flopping down next to Hermione on one of the Gryffindor couches in the noisy common room.

"You can say that again," sighed Hermione. "I'm still trying to make sense of it all." She was of course referring to the fact that, for the first time in its long history, Hogwarts School played host to two muggle pirates. "I can't remember a day so filled w/chaos since Fred and George set out to terrorize Umbridge with their fireworks."

Not that it was Will and Jack's fault entirely how the student body reacted towards them. Will did his best to blend in with the student body, but that was an impossible feat as the witches weren't blind to his gorgeousness. Jack, on the other hand, wasn't trying to lay low – quite the contrary. _I wouldn't be surprised if he'd found a way to annoy all of the professors in one day. _ Not to be outdone by Will, Captain Sparrow was also attracting plenty of his own female attention.

"Did you see Pansy Parkingson stalking Jack this afternoon? Malfoy looked so jealous I thought he was going to hex her," said Hermione, cracking up. Much to Ginny's chagrin, much of the Slytherin female population had suddenly developed crushes on Jack.

"You're hilarious, Hermione," Ginny sarcastically told her, rolling her eyes. "Ew, I don't want to imagine that idiot with Jack." Hermione started to apologize but Ginny cut her off.

"Did you notice that Lavender Brown kept flirting with Will during dinner?" She had noticed, and had been trying to forget all night.

"Damn it, Ginny, why are so many girls after Will? He was supposed to be mine!" Ginny patted her arm in sympathy.

"I know. But at least we saved them from rotting in prison right?" Hermione gave her friend a smile.

"I guess you're right. It could be worse," she agreed.

Hermione thought back to what happened after Will 'dropped' in on her Charms class.

Professor Flitwick had demanded that she take him to Dumbledore at once. Hermione was only happy to comply and skip potions; she wasn't keen on seeing Professor Slughorn as he'd been trying to corner her with another invitation to the Slug Club. Eagerly, the young witch escorted Mr. Turner up to the Headmaster's office, where Ginny and Jack were already waiting.

"Good morning, Miss Granger," said Dumbledore, beaming at her and Will. _Thank Merlin he's not angry!_ "And who might you be?" Dumbledore asked the young pirate.

"Will Turner, sir." Dumbledore shook hands with him and motioned for them to take a seat. Hermione and Will sat, each wondering how Dumbledore would deal with them.

"I trust these young ladies have explained to you about our world." Will nodded nervously.

"They have, but I don't know everything, sir."

"Call me Albus," said Dumbledore, trying to make an anxious Will feel more at ease.

"Alright, Albus. I understand non-magic people like Jack and I aren't supposed to know about your society, but I promise that we'll never betray your secret." He was facing Dumbledore, but Hermione knew he was trying to reassure her as well when he gently squeezed her hand.

"Thank you, Mr. Turner," Dumbledore smiled at him warmly. "I didn't think you would. What about you, Mr. Sparrow?" Jack, who'd been eagerly eyeing the Pensieve, looked up sheepishly.

"Hey, mate, I got no problem wit' witches an' wizards. Your secret is safe wit' me."

"Excellent," Dumbledore proclaimed happily. "I must say, Mr. Sparrow, your unexpected arrival scared old Professor Binns half to death!" The pirate smirked.

"What can I say, mate? I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!" But Dumbledore had the last laugh.

"However, Professor Binns is already dead," he gently informed the pirate. For once, Jack was speechless. Will broke the silence.

"I don't mean to be rude, but I was wondering if you could send us back home today?" Dumbledore frowned, stroking his long beard.

"As I didn't make the charm, I'm afraid that won't be possible. Until a reverse enchantment is discovered, you'll be forced to remain in this time." Both Will and Jack exploded.

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?" Dumbledore held up his wrinkled hands.

"Now now, don't worry – you'll get to go back eventually. And until you return, I'll allow you to remain at Hogwarts.

"But what about the crew?" Will worried as Jack frantically cried,

"What about me _ship_?"

"Jack!" Ginny, Hermione, and Will scolded. Jack shrugged at them, unruffled.

"Don't look so surprised; you know how much the _Pearl_ means to me." Ginny looked crushed and asked,

"At a time like this, all you can think about is your ship!" Jack gave her a pained look and did his best to apologize.

"I didn't mean it like that, luv…"

"Ahem," Dumbledore cleared his throat, alerting them to his presence. Ginny and Jack looked at him guiltily. "I think it is best if the school knows you have my approval to be here. I will announce your presence at the end of lunch, which starts in," he glanced at the clock, "ten minutes."

"But what if people ask who they are?" worried Hermione. Dumbledore gave her a wide grin.

"Tell them the truth. And hope they think you're lying." Jack smiled for the first time in the office.

"Now that's my kind of logic…I like you, Albus." He put his arm around the old wizard and began bragging about his piratical conquests. "Let me tell you about the time I raided Singapore…" Far from minding Sparrow's attentions, Dumbledore seemed to be immensely enjoying himself. Hermione was glad to see the elderly wizard so happy. _He's been working so hard trying to protect us all from Voldemort; he deserves a laugh._

The group descended the spiral staircase and made their way into the Great Hall for lunch. Hermione and Ginny led the pirates over to Gryffindor table, who sat down across from them. Ron and Lavender sat farther away from the group and didn't see the pirates, but Harry did. Before he could ask, Hermione leaned over and whispered that he'd find out soon enough. The boy-who-lived shrugged and went back to his salad. Before lunch adjourned, Dumbledore stood up from his place at the staff table.

"I have a quick announcement before you head off to your afternoon classes." All eyes turned toward their Headmaster, except for some Slytherin boys who defiantly carried on their whispered conversations. "I'm pleased to welcome Mr. Jack Sparrow and Mr. William Turner to Hogwarts." Unabashedly, Jack stood up to be recognized and pulled a reddening Will up with him. Muffled shrieks rang out through the dining hall as the girls saw how handsome their visitors were.

"Settle down," said Dumbledore, winking at the pirates. "These gentlemen will be staying with us for awhile, and I expect that all of you will extend your courtesies to them as you would to your Professors." Jack grinned smugly at his inquisitive audience while Will immediately sat back down. "Thank you for your attention; that will be all."

The pirates had just finished eating by the time Hermione and Ginny's classes were supposed to begin, and the girls ushered them towards the exit of the dining hall.

Dumbledore caught up with the foursome before they could leave.

"Mr. Turner, would you be a guest speaker in the Muggle Studies class today? It won't take the whole period." Will noded eagerly.

"Of course sir - Albus. It's the least I can do since you let us stay here…" Dumbledore led him out of the Great Hall and out of Hermione's sight.

"Hey, what about me?" pouted Jack. "Why does the whelp get to have all the fun?" Ginny shushed him.

"You'll get your turn tomorrow. Now come on, I've got to get to potions class!" Hermione went with them, to make up the lab that she'd missed that morning. They hurried down the corridors, down a few flights of stairs, and finally ended up outside the dungeon. But when they went inside the classroom, they weren't greeted by the rotund but affable Slughorn. It seemed they had a substitute.

"You're late," the cold voice addressed Ginny, who was the first of the three to enter. Hermione inwardly gasped. It was Snape.

"I'm sorry, sir," said Ginny automatically. Snape sneered at her.

"Ten points from Gryffindor," he proclaimed, sounding positively delighted about it. "Now take your seat." Ginny bravely stood her ground.

"Where's Professor Slughorn?" she asked.

"He's taken a personal day. And Professor Dumbledore has asked me to spend my off-day teaching my old subject." Snape sounded sour that hiss boss asked him for such a favor. He saw Hermione for the first time.

"Miss Granger?" he asked, staring disbelievingly. "I know you weren't held back to the fifth year level. Why are you here?" Hermione tried to explain quickly so she wouldn't cause Gryffindor to lose anymore points.

"I need to make up my lab from this morning, sir. I missed my class because I had a meeting with Professor Dumbledore…" Snape's beady eyes rested on Jack Sparrow who innocently gave him a friendly smile. Snape didn't acknowledge the pirate at all.

"Say no more. You may gather your things and brew your potion in the spare cauldron on the back table." Severus Snape shifted through some papers on Slughorn's desk and produced the 6th years' list of ingredients and instructions for the days' lab. Hermione took it from him and began to gather her ingredients from the storage cupboard. Snape began to scratch out the day's instructions on the chalkboard. Ginny went to take her seat but paused mid-step. All the students stopped preparing to brew their potions and watched as Jack tried to talk to Snape.

"'Ello, mate! I'm Jack Sparrow, who are you?" Snape whipped around, his black greasy hair flopping against his head. He looked down at Jack's outstretched hand in disgust.

"That doesn't concern you, muggle. Now, take a seat; I have a class to teach." Jack looked extremely taken aback, a little hurt even but he hid it well. Suddenly every girl in Ginny's class was glaring daggers at Snape, for being rude to the pirate. Jack noticed this and smirked.

"Well, if you won't give me your name, I guess I'll have to invent one. How about Smith?" Snape eyed Jack threateningly. "Or Smithy, if you like that better?"

"Mr. Sparrow," Snape began in a dangerously low voice, "I'd suggest you sit down. Or else I'll…" Jack had the nerve to interrupt him.

"Or else what? You'll make me sit in the corner? Or better yet, make me write lines?" The class erupted with laughter and Jack grinned provokingly at Snape. Ginny ran up and pulled Jack back to sit next to her. She whispered something in his ear and he rolled his eyes. Hermione sighed in relief when Snape began teaching the class as usual. _At least he didn't turn Jack into a ferret or something worse._

"Today we will finish brewing our love potions from last week. Now, I want you to uncork your vials…" Snape was cut off by guess who.

"Excuse me, I just wanted to say I'm sorry, Professor Ape." Jack was met by dead silence. He quickly added, "I mean, Snape."

"Did that Potter boy put you up to this?" Snape roared at the pirate. "Because I know that no one from the ministry would dare treat me in this manner." Jack frowned.

"I dunno what yer sayin', mate, but I don't know any Potter, savvy?" Then he stood up, turned to the class and announced, "But I'm not from the ministry – I'm a pirate. The most feared pirate throughout all time!" The class laughed again and Snape looked murderous.

"Forty points from Gryffindor!" he bellowed. "And if you don't shut you pirate mouth it will be a hundred!"

"I'm sorry, Professor, he won't do it again." Ginny glared at Jack, who shrugged and sat back down, looking at Snape attentively. Hermione had to smile at Jack's devil-may-care attitude. Even though he was costing them house points, it was worth it to see Snape lose his temper. Jack stayed quiet long enough for Snape to get through his instructions. But five minutes later, when Snape was in the middle of passing out graded quizzes, Jack raised his hand.

"I have to go to the bathroom." Snape was of half a mind to tell Jack he couldn't leave the classroom, but he nodded anyway. "Professor, I don't know where the bathroom is," whined Jack, on purpose.

"Miss Granger, show Mr. Sparrow where our facilities are located." Snape kept rubbing his temple like he had a headache.

"Yes, Professor." Hermione's potion was brewing quite nicely, and could be left unattended for a little while. Once they'd left the classroom, she turned to Jack and with her hands on her hips stated,

"You didn't need to go to the bathroom!"

"I had to do something to get out of there! What a stuffy old bloke…and I thought Will was bad," Jack mused shaking his head. Hermione let the comment about Will go.

"Now what, Jack? Dumbledore wants you to stay with us at all times, and I've got to go back in there and finish my potion."

"Okay okay, I'll come back," he assured her. "But that man gives me a bloody 'eadache. I need some rum!" She shook her head at him, but she was smiling nonetheless.

"Go down to the kitchens; the house elves should be able to find you some. Or they'll conjure some up for you." Jack swooped her up into a big hug.

"I owe ya one, missy. How do I get there?" Without thinking, Hermione rattled off directions.

"Take the stairs, turn right, and walk to the end of the hall. On your left hangs a large portrait of fruit. Tickle the pear and you've found the secret entrance to the kitchens."

"Ta." Jack raced up the stairs and Hermione hurried back to her potion which was almost finished. By the time Jack returned, the young witch had completed her potion and had just turned it in to be graded. Snape begrudgingly let him in. In each hand, the pirate held a large bottle of rum.

"I've got ruuuuuummm!" he sang, and once again the class stopped working to watch how Snape reacted. "Here, Snapey, this one's for you. God know you could use it." The pirate shoved a bottle into Snape's hand, all the while singing under his breath.

"I've got a lovely song that we could teach to the class and it goes like this." The class leaned forward eagerly, and many of the girls wouldn't stop batting their eyelashes. "Yo ho, yo ho, a pirates life for me!" Jack belted out the words and the class quickly caught on. It was the most fun they'd had in class all year. Snape just stood there, speechless as if he'd been petrified. Ginny buried her face in her hands, mortified by Jack's eccentric behavior.

"We're devils and black sheep, really black eggs ; drink up, me 'earties yo ho!" The class sang along with Jack who was directing them from the front of the room. Poor Snape looked like he wanted nothing more than to apparate away. A knock sounded at the door.

"No, don't answer it!" cried Snape, terrified of losing his job. After all, it didn't look good for him. A class full of underage wizards was being directed to sing a very loud, silly song by an inebriated pirate. They weren't engaged in anything potions-related, and they weren't giving their professor a second thought. Snape needn't have worried, as it was Will, back from giving his speech to the Muggle Studies class.

"What's going on in here?" he asked, bewildered but calm.

"How the hell should I know! Snape screamed over the din. "You're his mate; ask him!" Hermione ran to Will and pulled him aside.

"Will! You've got to help Snape get the class back under control or else we're all in big trouble," Hermione told him worriedly. He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and promised to try. Will then immediately went over to Jack, who swayed and gave him a big hug.

"William!" He said happily. "This is great, I'm so glad you're here. We're having so much fun singing my favorite song!" He tried to dance around with Will, but the young blacksmith luckily restrained him. "Class, this is William Turner - my best friend in the whole world!" Jack gave a wild giggle as Will tried to pry himself loose from his embrace. "Will, this is the class!"

"Jack!" Will hissed. "You're drunk! Why are you interrupting their class?"

"Pirate!" Jack replied, too far gone to give a proper answer. Will just sighed and gave up. Snape apparently had too, because he took a long swig from his rum bottle. Within minutes, the substitute potions professor had drained the entire thing and had passed out on the floor. Jack walked over to the unconscious Snape and left out a high-pitched whoop.

"Hah, even William can hold 'is rum longer than this ol' bugger!" Hermione asked Ginny to go down to the hospital wing and bring Madam Pomfrey back so she could give Snape something that would wake him up. As soon as Ginny was gone, Hermione and Will concentrated on getting Jack to shut up. Which was no easy task. By the time Captain Sparrow had settled down, the period had ended. Hermione took Will with her to her final class of the day, Ancient Runes.

The day continued without any further incident, except that Ginny told Hermione that Jack snored all through Transfiguration. Apparently, Professor McGonagall was so perturbed that she floated the older pirate to the back of the classroom and left him there in a bewitched sleep until dinner. That evening, when Jack and Will entered the great hall, cheers erupted from the Gryffindor fifth years, thanking them for the memorable potions class. Girls from the other three tables cheered as well.

Hermione finally stopped reviewing the events of the day and glanced around the common room, noting that it had become practically deserted. _It must be late. I'd better get to sleep; knowing Jack, tomorrow will be another adventure._

Just then, Parvati burst into the common room and ran towards the two friends. She stood, clutching her side and trying to catch her breath.

"What? What's happened!" Hermione feared it had to do with Voldemort.

"Lavender Brown…she and that Romilda Vane…" Parvati angrily trailed off.

"Just tell us," urged Ginny. Wringing her hands, Parvati wailed,

"Will and Jack have been tricked into taking love potions!"

End Ch. 9

Please review…it really does make me write faster!


	10. Love Potions

Disclaimer: Hermione, Ginny and the other HP characters belong to JKR, not me. Jack and Will from PotC belong to Disney.

Lunastella13: Thanks for reading my story and reviewing! That means a lot to me.

MintChocolate5: Elizabeth will come in later. I'd already planned to explain what happened between her and Will, and why Will had turned pirate and was on Jack's ship. But thanks for the question! Usually I try to answer questions in the story and sometimes they give me plot ideas. Those are always appreciated! Thanks for reviewing. :D

Smithy: I'm so glad to hear from you again! One of my old KoH reviewers… Love ya!

SurroundedbyIdiots: I'm the queen of cliffies, sorry to say. I'm glad I've got you so interested in my humble story!

Jellemegg: Yes, it's always good when Ron gets jealous. I'm glad you thought Jack-in-a-wig was funny. I know I did!

TheOneandOnlyBarry: Well, love potions can be pretty powerful stuff. You'll just have to wait and see what happens. Believe me, Hermione isn't going to give up without a fight!

WillsOneLove: Well Snape was asking for it…he was a real stupid-head towards Jack! Apparently, rum is stronger than the firewhiskey that he's used to!

LighteningExperience: Yes Jack and Dumbledore are good for each other! Jack actually get's the elderly wizard's humor, and that's saying something! I understand about the swamp thing…Gred and Forge were seriously the best thing about book five. You aren't crazy, believe me. Keep reading!

SenatorSolo: Thanks a lot hun. I know the love potions thing sounds insane…lets hope I don't make a total mess of the story because of it!

Anonymous: I'm glad you found this amusing. I find your asterisk amusing too. ;)

ERMonkey Burner of Cookies: Merci beaucoup! I'm so flattered I'm on your favs.

Captain-Ammie: Gracias. I'm glad you're looking forward to more. I am too.

Legolover: I love you…your reviews crack me up! Thanks for making my day. Strumpets and whores, lol. Yes those girls need to leave Will and Jack alone! I'm thrilled you want to see Elizabethtown. It's coming out so soon! Yay for promoting my state! And woot for duckie and the fox.

InwePirateElf: I'm glad you liked it when Jack disrupted the class! I'd love it if an inebriated pirate entertained my class! Especially if Will showed up. Thanks for being such a faithful reviewer. :D

Avchocoholic: Don't worry, Lavender and Romilda will get what's coming to them. Hermione and Ginny will make sure of that!

A/N: Thanks to all who've read my story- I now have over 2,500 hits!

Ch. 10: Love Potions

Hermione and Ginny stared at Parvati in disbelief.

"Say that again…" said Ginny, thinking she'd misheard. Parvati repeated her sentence.

"Lavender and Romilda Vane have tricked Will and Jack into taking love potions." Ginny paled considerably.

"But how?" asked the redhead. Hermione's brow was furrowed as she was thinking.

"Romilda must've stolen some of the love potion you all were brewing during the potions fiasco. Everyone was watching Jack mess with Snape; it must've been relatively easy for her to smuggle out a flagon," Hermione surmised. The girls agreed with her theory.

"I can't believe this!" Ginny's fists were clenched in anger. "How could they do this to Jack and Will?"

"They won't get away with it, though," said Hermione. "I can assure you of that. Love potions are restricted to underage wizards…ooh, finally I've got something on Lavender that will land her in detention!"

"That's great, but shouldn't you tell Dumbledore what's happened?" Parvati asked the two close friends. Ginny bit her lip nervously.

"But he's not here. I overheard Harry telling my older brother that his lesson with Dumbledore was cancelled. Damn it, why did he pick tonight to be away on Order business!" Hermione gritted her teeth and asked Parvati a question which she didn't really want to know the answer.

"How badly has it affected them?" The Indian witch grimaced.

"Lavender made sure Will drank all of his drink at dinner so, you'd imagine, quite a lot. You'd better come and see for yourselves." As she led them down the spiral stairs of Gryffindor Tower, Hermione began thinking out loud.

"Who do we know has the antidote?"

"Professor Slughorn does," supplied Ginny. "But that doesn't help us. He took the day off – he could be anywhere."

"There's always Snape," Parvati suggested as she took them past the library, down another flight of stairs and into the foyer.

"He's still passed out in the hospital wing," Hermione reminded her. "Jack's rum didn't exactly agree with him."

"Oh yeah," Parvati said glumly as she unlocked the bulky front doors. "Come on, they're down by Hagrid's hut." The three young witches hurried past the lake down the path to the groundkeeper's home. As they reached the barren pumpkin patch, they were met with a furious Ron Weasley. He was having a rather loud row with his girlfriend, who had apparently just dumped him. Ginny, Hermione, and Parvati hid behind a large bush so they could hear properly.

"How could you do this to me, Lavender?" he roared. "I thought I meant something to you."

"Hah, as if," she snorted in disbelief. "I just wanted you as a boyfriend until someone better came along. And now that someone has." Will appeared next to Lavender, put his arm around her waist, and growled menacingly at Ron.

"Turner, you stole my girlfriend!" Ron exclaimed in disbelief, shaking his head. "And to think I was beginning to like you…"

"I did no such thing," snarled Will, pulling Lavender closer. "Lavender chose me over you. She loves me; right snookums?"

"That's right, my sweet William." Lavender smirked at Ron, who looked crestfallen. Hermione chose that moment to reveal herself despite Parvati and Ginny's protests.

"Will, how could you?" The bushy-haired witch searched his face for any indication of remorse but found none. His normally soft brown eyes had turned cold and Hermione shivered despite being quite insulated by her winter cloak.

"Who are you?" He asked her, not recognizing her as the girl that he cared for.

"It's Hermione! Don't you know me!" She cried out in anguish, tears forming in her eyes. He shook his head, confusedly and Hermione felt physically sick. She caught Ron's eyes and he gave her a tiny sympathetic smile. It must be worse for him, she thought, as Lavender was acting this way on her own.

"Hermione, it's okay," soothed Ginny, stepping out from behind the bush with Parvati. The redheaded girl gave her friend a hug. "Don't be too upset; remember it's not really Will who's saying those things!" She glared at Lavender who was still smirking because Will had taken it upon himself to start kissing her neck.

"How'd you do it, Lavender?" Parvati asked, her arms folded across her chest.

Lavender answered flippantly, "Romilda obtained the potion; I simply poured it into Will's drink at dinner. I followed him around for an hour, which is how long it takes for the potion to work. And now he's hopelessly in love with me." Will stopped kissing Lavender's neck to smile at her dreamily. Lavender leaned in to snog Will full on the lips in front of everyone, reveling in her newfound power over the handsome young pirate. Hermione had to resist the strong urge to hex the boyfriend-stealing Gryffindor.

"Speaking of which, where is Romilda now? I'd like to have a little chat with her about what she did to Jack!" Ginny continued to glare at her brother's ex. If looks could kill, Lavender would've been Avada Kedavra'd by now!

"Um, well…" Lavender couldn't finish her sentence as she was giggling so hard. Just then the door to Hagrid's hut burst open and Jack Sparrow tumbled out. Ron squeaked and ran behind the bush that the girls had been hiding just minutes before. Ginny and Hermione exchanged puzzled looks; normally Ron and Jack got along very well.

Then a very exhausted Harry and Romilda Vane came out of Hagrid's hut glowering at each other.

"You were supposed to hold him, Potter!" Romilda yelled in a prissy voice.

"Don't look at me!" Harry yelped. "You're the one that gave him the bloody love potion."

"Has anyone seen Ronald?" asked Jack, looking more inebriated than usual. "I must see him again!"

"No!" said Harry and Romilda innocently, in unison. "We haven't seen him."

"What's going on?" asked Hermione, tapping her foot in irritation. Romilda wailed,

"My love potion went all wrong! Jack was supposed to meet me down at the pumpkin patch so that when it would go into effect, he'd fall madly in love with me." She dramatically continued, "But alas, Harry and Ron just _had_ to be here looking for Hagrid. Ron just _had_ to be the first person that Jack saw one hour after he drank the potion." Ginny gasped in horror.

"So you mean that Jack is under the influence of a love potion and in love with my brother!" Romilda nodded regretfully. Lavender kept giggling, and Harry nervously ran his hand through his unruly hair.

"I've had enough of this; I'm going to bed," announced a frustrated Romilda. After being denied the love of Jack Sparrow, all she wanted to do was sleep away her disappointment.

"Oh no you don't!" said Hermione. "You started this mess and you're going to clean it up." Romilda looked like she wanted to bolt, but thought the better of it.

"What can I do? The effects should wear off sometime tomorrow since Jack only took one sip of his drink at dinner."

"You mean my drink," Harry pointed out angrily. Rolling his eyes, he turned to the girls and said, "She was originally trying to get _me_ to take the love potion."

"Imagine my surprise when Jack grabbed Harry's goblet for a swig when he wasn't looking. I couldn't believe my luck," said Romilda, sighing in regret. "What a waste of potion it was."

"Look, you can help us keep Jack away from Ron," said Parvati.

"Exactly. I don't think he should be sleeping in the boys' dormitory tonight," said Ginny, her eyes flicking worriedly toward the bush that concealed Ron.

"I'll stay with Jack tonight," offered Harry. "We can spend the night in the Quidditch locker room…no one ever goes in there."

"Romilda; go with Harry. I'm holding you personally responsible if Jack gets loose," Hermione warned the young witch. "Sorry, Harry," she added with an afterthought.

"It's fine," he sighed. "I don't think I can detain him by myself anyway without using magic. And Dumbledore said not to perform magic on our guests unless absolutely necessary." He glared at Romilda who had the decency to look a bit sheepish.

"Good luck, Harry," Ginny encouraged him. The boy-who-lived blushed and muttered his thanks.

"Come on Jack." Harry prodded the pirate in the ribs, who was dreamily staring at the moon and drooling a bit.

"Are we goin' ta find Ronald?" Jack asked Harry who told him yes, lying through his teeth.

"Ron might be coming by the Quidditch locker room later this evening." Jack yanked on the young wizard's arm and he winced in surprise.

"Well come on, then! I'm gonna go see Ronnie…" Jack started to hum to himself and Harry looked genuinely concerned.

"You know something's wrong with him; he didn't even correct me when I didn't address him as captain." Unfortunately someone screamed before Romilda and Harry could lead Jack away.

"Spiders!" moaned the frightened voice. "They're everywhere!" Hermione heard a rustling noise and then a frightened-looking Ron sprang out from behind the bush. Jack spun around when he recognized Ron's voice.

"Ronald!" he squealed happily. "I've been looking all over for you! How about a goodnight kiss?" If Ron looked scared before, now he looked positively terrified.

"I think I'd take the spiders over you, mate." He hid behind Harry, Ginny, Parvati, and Hermione, who were shielding him, their wands outstretched at Jack.

Hermione hissed to Will, "Say something to him, please? Tell Jack to leave our friend alone!" Will frowned at her.

"Why should Jack be denied the happiness that I have with Lavender?" Hermione harrumphed in protest as Will and Lavender began snogging again.

"I love you, Ronald!" Jack sang as Ron wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Well the feeling isn't mutual." Parvati succeeded in stifling her laughter…if the situation wasn't so dire it would've been quite funny.

"Aw, stop kiddin' around. You know you love me," said Jack, waving his arms in the air as he drunkenly staggered towards the group.

"Jack, it's time for bed," Harry told him firmly and he and Romilda slowly pulled him away. Hermione could still hear the pirate protesting as she returned to the castle along with Ginny, Parvati, Ron, Lavender and the lovesick Will. Groaning, she turned to Ginny as they made their way back up to Gryffindor tower.

"I just realized we've got another problem," she whispered as they allowed Parvati, Will and Lavender to go on up ahead. "How're we going to keep Will and Lavender separated? He's not going to want to willingly let her go."

"I'll look after him," said Ron. Hermione and Ginny looked at him in disbelief.

"Look, I'm sorry I've been such an idiot, Hermione. I realize now that I shouldn't have believed what Lavender said about you being with Malfoy. I was just angry…that's all."

"Thanks," she said quietly. "I'm glad you've finally come to your senses."

"Do you think we can be friends again?" he asked her hopefully. Hermione pretended to consider it.

"Well…alright." He grinned at her. "But only if you promise never to take her back again. I don't think I could stand it."

"Agreed." They shook on it and Ginny gave them a knowing smile that made Hermione feel a tad uncomfortable. By this time they'd reached the portrait hole.

"Password," commanded the Fat Lady.

"Courage," answered Hermione, and entered the common room with her friends. She knew she'd need some to get through the next few days until she found an antidote for the love potion. Allowing Will to be in love with Lavender was simply not an option.

End Ch.10

A/N: I'd like to thank SenatorSolo for giving me the fabulous idea of having Jack 'fall in love' with Ron. I love your silly plot bunnies!


	11. Thank Merlin for Antidotes

Disclaimer: Hermione, Ginny and the other HP characters belong to JKR, not me. Jack and Will from PotC belong to Disney.

Chocolatrouxluv: Thanks so much for reading my entire story all in one go! I'll do my best to spend more time on the Jack/Ginny aspect; although that isn't the main part of the story, I don't mind developing my subplots a little more. Yes the E-town refs were fun, weren't they! Don't worry, I'll have the pirate boys back to themselves momentarily. Keep reading! Love ya.

SenatorSolo: Your idea was a great success! Almost everyone who reviewed commented about Jack falling in love w/Ron was funny. I'm glad I made I you laugh out loud! Yeah, Lavender's a beeotch – what else is new! Don't worry, Hermione will have her revenge soon enough. Everyone, GO READ HER DRACO/GINNY STORY! It's really awesome!

MintChocolate5: Of course there shall be more Will/Hermione fluff! Because I love fluff and yeah. ;) Ginny could never be Lavender-esque…she's too cool of a character for that. I'm glad you liked Under-the-influence-of-a-love-potion!Jack - he was lots of fun to write. But I can't see him cracking Voldie jokes…that would be going a bit too far, even for him. Especially when Capt. Sparrow hears about what the evil Dark Lord is planning to do to Hogwarts.

Wildsong: Thanks for reading! I'm glad you like the Hermione/Will pairing; I just feel that dashing Mr. Turner is waaay underused in PotC fiction so now I'm letting him shine as the romantic lead. ;) I hope you read the parts where the pirates come to Hogwarts as Jack practically turns the school updside-down!

ER Monkey Burner of Cookies: Haha! Glad you liked it.

Surrounded By Idiots: I'm so sorry about it being short! This one is longer, I promise. It's just that I'm so friggin busy right now! RL is getting in the way of me updating as fast as I used to. Oh well. Hmm, send Will over to your house? No can do sister. He's staying right here w/me. Hehe! But I can send Jack via UPS (he should arrive quickly as my city, Louisville is the UPS hub.) If you want to have a drunk pirate captain waking you up at all hours of the night singing crazy pirate songs, then by all means -please take him! He's stolen all my eyeliner and cleaned out the fridge looking for rum. In fact, you can have him permanently! (Jack…stop calling Will a eunuch! He doesn't appreciate that too much. No, he's not a whelp either! slap) Yes, PLEASE take him off my hands. I'm sending him right now; let me know if he arrived okay.

WillsOneLove: Cait, you are such a sweetheart. I'm glad I could surprise you with Jack and the love incident, lol. I'm glad you've stuck around. Thanks for believing in me. :D

Alandrea-the-magic-kitty: I'm thrilled you like my story! Gracias.

Andrettamaieboti: Thanks!

The Gryffindor Drummer: Muahaha – I've got yet another person hooked on my fic! Score! Thanks for reading, hun. Love the penname.

Avchocaholic: Yay! Yet another person who got a kick out of Jack loving Ron. When I'm through w/them, I don't think Will and Jack will ever want to come near me again!

Legolover: Your reviews make my day. Man, I wish I knew what all was running through your head when you read my stuff. Because you are just too funny for words! I love that little fighting match you were describing earlier. "Lets go Mione, let's go. Woo Woo! Down with the strumpet/whore!" Haha that's so awesome…Lavender's going down for sure. Poor Will is going to be mortified that he called someone snookums..but that's what happens when you take a love potion. Maybe I'm trying to get the message out in a round-a-bout way not to do drugs because they make you say and do stupid things. Or maybe not…lol. I dunno, just to let you know, the love potion thing was probably the last big comic relief the story will have for awhile.

Ch. 11: Thank Merlin for Antidotes

"Ahh! I just want to kill Lavender!" A bleary eyed Hermione exclaimed to Ginny over breakfast the next day. As it was Saturday, she'd pulled on her favorite pair of jeans and a crimson and gold Gryffindor sweatshirt before heading down to the Great Hall.

"I second that," Ron wearily agreed, reaching for the coffee pot. His disheveled appearance reflected that he'd dragged himself out of bed without combing his hair. "I should've just stayed up the entire night doing homework instead of trying to sleep. At least I would've gotten something done." All three Gryffindors were extremely groggy, thanks to Will's serenading the entire house the previous night. Well, technically he was just serenading Lavender, but he sang so loudly that he kept the entire house awake until the wee hours of the night.

"Will has a good voice," Ginny pointed out before she took a bite of her ham and cheese omelet. "But, no offense Mione, I just want to hex him for last night." Even the normally bright-eyed Ginny looked exhausted, judging by the dark circles under her eyes.

"None taken, Gin," said Hermione. "I love listening to him sing but…" she trailed off shaking her head. "Not with him adding Lavender's name into the lyrics every other word." The young witch shuddered as she drained the last of her orange juice. Just then Harry, Romilda, Jack Sparrow entered the Great Hall. Ron's eyes widened at the sight of the pirate captain; he stood to bolt but the girls firmly held him down.

"What are you doing?" Ron hissed at them. "That bloke thinks he's in love with me…I don't want the entire school to know about it!"

"Yeah well, I wouldn't feel too sorry for you after the way you've treated me for the past months," Hermione said coolly and Ron squirmed.

"You're right," he admitted. But Ron needed have worried. When Jack approached them, he did nothing out of the ordinary.

"Yeh look terrible," he greeted them bluntly as he, Harry, and Romilda sat down at the Gryffindor table. Ginny harrumphed and frowned at him.

"Thanks a lot, Jack!" The pirate held his hands in defense.

"When I said tha', I just meant tha' ye just look a bit tired," he smoothly recovered. "I still think tha' ye are the mos' beautiful girl here, my lovely Ginerva." He gave her a warm hug and Ginny sighed happily. Ron looked incredibly relieved.

"Now, could I possibly ask for some rum ta drink this fine mornin'?" It seemed Jack was back to his crazy old self.

"I think you'd better lay off the rum for awhile," said Hermione. "But here, try some butterbeer." Jack took the cup she offered him and drank deeply. A smile graced his features as he clearly enjoyed the feeling of warmth the drink gave him.

"Ya know, I was wonderin' why I had ta spend the night in yer Quidditch locker room. Yer friends wouldn't tell me." Harry and Romilda exchanged sheepish glances, but made no move to explain the events of last night to Jack, who had apparently forgotten them. "But after I've seen you lot, it looks like I got lucky."

"Jack, I hate to tell you this," Ginny began, "but last night, while under the influence of a love potion, you were crushing on my brother." Ron's face flamed as red as his hair and Jack just stared at him in shock.

"Yeh must be mistaken, luv; I don't go for blokes," Jack protested. "I certainly don' remember drinkin' any love potion – strictly speaking, rum is me drink of choice."

"I suppose you always remember everything that happens when you overindulge in your rum, huh?" Hermione raised her eyebrows at him and Jack's face fell.

"Yeh mean I was actually pursuing _him_?" The Gryffindors nodded apologetically and Jack sighed in embarrassment. Ron scoffed at him.

"Pursuing, ha; that's the biggest understatement of the year." Jack held his head in his hands.

"Please tell me who in the hell gave me such a thing so I can kill them! Because I can assure yeh, I didn't take any on me own." Romilda hesitantly raised her hand and Jack just rolled his eyes.

"I didn't mean for you to fall in love with him!" she cried. "You were supposed to fall for _me_ – but you happened to see Ron just as the potion kicked in." Shaking his finger at the fourth year, Jack admonished,

"That wasn't very nice." Surprisingly, Romilda actually apologized and hung her head. "Oh well, at least it's over," said Jack. "I'm sure yeh had some great laughs…but now we can forget about last night and move on wit' our lives."

"Think again, Jack," said Hermione sadly, pointing at Lavender and Will who had just come down for breakfast. Linked arm in arm, the new couple strolled over to a vacant part of the Gryffindor table as angry whispers circulated around the room.

"What happened between you two? Did you have a fight or something?" Jack asked Hermione as Ginny shook her head in mock-annoyance.

"No, Jack. Will's still under the influence of his love potion. While you only took a sip, he drank an entire cupful," Hermione explained. Jack smacked his forehead dramatically.

"I always knew the whelp couldn't look out for himself. As always, it's up to old Jack to set him straight - excuse me."

"Wait, Jack – don't…" Ginny trailed off, knowing it was useless as Jack was already pushing his way to the front of the crowd that was gathering around Will and Lavender.

"Will mate, what're yeh doin'?" Jack made a disgusted face as Will fed Lavender bits of toast. "Yeh don't belong wit' this girl!"

"What, are you jealous, Jack?" Will sneered at him as Lavender continued to hang all over Will. Jack stared at his best friend in utter disbelief.

"I'm hardly jealous, William," he answered diplomatically. "I'm just very concerned about your mental state right now - you're not behaving like yourself. You've never loved Lavender; you love Hermione, remember?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Will told him coldly as Lavender smirked at the elder pirate's confusion.

"Seriously mate, something is very wrong with you and I made a promise to your father to look out for you if you make a mistake." Jack told him truthfully, "Lavender is a huge mistake; you can do much better than that two-faced, brainless strumpet!" Lavender gasped in mock-horror, knowing it would enrage Will.

"Don't you dare insult my soul mate," said Will in a dangerously low voice. He'd already drawn his sword which Jack eyed warily. The nearby students were looking on with interest, as it looked like a fight was brewing.

"Jack! Don't provoke him," panted Hermione, who had finally made it to the front of the crowd. "It's not Will's fault that he's not himself."

"But…" the pirate protested. "Yeh just can' let him treat you like tha'!"

"There's nothing you can do for him right now," said Ginny. The girls were able to persuade Jack to return to the table where they could figure out how they could set Will right.

"I say our best bet is Professor Snape," suggested Harry. "He should be much better by now – the only problem is how we are going to convince him to make the antidote for us."

"Yeah. He'd never do it just to help us out," Ron said bitterly.

"Not ta worry," Jack told them. "Leave that ta me." Ron, Ginny, and Hermione waited for Harry and Jack quickly finish eating. Then, not wanting to waist any time, the group headed for the hospital wing. As part of the plan, Harry and Jack waited outside while the other three went to 'visit' Snape.

They found him wide awake, resting comfortably in the first hospital bed. A solitary get-card stood on the in table next to his bed beside a glass of water and his wand. On closer inspection, Hermione surmised that the card was from all of the Slytherin students, who'd signed it when they heard what had happened to the head of their house.

Upon their arrival, Snape turned his head towards them and scowled.

"Professor Snape! It's so good to see that you're awake and feeling much better," Hermione enthused. Snape just glared at her.

"I don't want to be disturbed at the moment. What is it that you want, Miss Granger?" Hermione sighed anxiously.

"We need your help, Professor. My friend Will is in a bad way…he was given a love potion yesterday and I was wondering if you could make the antidote…" Snape sneered at them.

"Right now, I'm still incapacitated. It's very doubtful that Madam Pomfrey would even let me leave my bed. That's just too bad…I'm afraid your Mr. Turner will just have to wait."

"But he's swallowed an entire cupful!" Hermione pressed on. "Please Professor, he's completely enamored with Lavender Brown and it's really causing problems. All of Gryffindor house didn't get any sleep last night because he kept singing to her!" Snape looked absolutely delighted at this piece of news.

"What a pity," he drawled. "No, I'm afraid I'm not your man. Try and find Slughorn – maybe he'll be up to making it for you." Hermione and Ginny shrugged and began to walk out of the hospital wing.

"It's your funeral," quipped Ron as he strode out of the hospital wing. Snape barely had time to ponder his statement when, right on cue, Jack dashed through the entrance and over to Snape's bed.

"'Ello, mate!" Jack brightly greeted him, causing Snape to moan in annoyance.

"No! No – any one but him!" Panting, Harry appeared, looking like he had been chasing Jack all throughout the castle.

"I'm so sorry, Professor…" Harry paused to 'catch his breath'. "He's just coming down from the after effects of his love potion and for some reason wanted to see you. I can't imagine why…" Jack grinned giddily at Snape.

"Hey Sevvie; want any more rum? I've got plenty wit' me."

"No – I don't think really I want any right now," said the DADA professor. "Who in their right minds would give _him_ a love potion!"

"Snape Snape the ape, banana-fana fo fape, me mi mo mape, SNAPE!" Jack sang terribly off key, and flapped his arms in front of the bedridden professor.

"Potter!" Snape roared. "Tell him to leave me alone!"

"Well I would sir, but I don't think he'd listen to a sixteen year old wizard," said Harry apologetically. By this time, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione had returned to the hospital wing, hearing all the commotion. Snape started to reach for his wand, but Ginny was faster.

"No, Professor!" she gasped. "Dumbledore said no one is to use magic on our guests for any reason unless their lives are in danger.

"My mental health is in danger," Snape muttered and Hermione succeeded in not bursting out in laughter.

"Alright, mate – tell yeh what," Jack proposed. "If yeh brew some o' that antidote to help my friend, I'll leave yeh alone for the rest o' my stay 'ere."

"I'll do it," Snape gladly agreed. To everyone's surprise, he bounded out of bed, grabbed his single get-well card, and headed for the exit.

"Thanks, Jack," said Hermione, under her breath while they followed Snape at a safe distance.

"It was my pleasure, luv." Jack gave her a toothy grin and Hermione had to smile back.

When they all arrived at Snape's office, the old potions master got to work immediately; gathering his ingredients, heating his cauldron at the precise temperature, and carefully adding each essential component of the mixture one at a time. After about a half an hour, the potion was smoking nicely and all Snape had to do was keep stirring it counter-clockwise every minute until it stopped bubbling.

"Mr. Potter, please find Miss Brown and tell her I've decided to give her a chance for extra credit this semester. But tell her she has to come to my office now or else she doesn't get the extra credit." Harry nodded and left the office. Thankfully, Snape knew that Will would never willingly leave Lavender to come by the office and that Lavender would never allow him to drink anything suspicious. This way, he planned it so that Lavender would only be focused on improving her abysmal grade, leaving Will by himself to take the disguised antidote.

"Wow, Professor…this is super nice of you," Lavender gushed when she arrived five minutes later at Snape's office with Will in tow. Harry closed the door behind them and joined his friends.

"Don't thank me," said Snape, still annoyed he'd had to brew the antidote in the first place when he could be resting in bed. "Here." He thrust a piece of parchment with questions on it into her hands. "Take this test; you have twenty minutes to complete it." Lavender moved to go into the DADA classroom and Will followed her.

"I'm sorry, Miss Brown, but you must take this test alone," ordered Snape.

"Of course," Lavender said sweetly. "William, I'm going to be just inside this room. Wait for me – don't go away!"

"I won't," he promised. "I'll never leave you, my lovely one." Everyone else in the room pretended to gag, even Snape, who was fed up with Lavender's irresponsibility. After Lavender went into the adjoining room to take her test, everyone gave a sigh of relief.

"Now, since you are here, I have a little experiment I'd like to conduct on you, Mr. Turner," drawled Snape.

"On me?" asked Will, finally turning away from the door where Lavender had disappeared. "What could I possibly tell you?"

"Plenty," Snape answered smoothly. "Cases like yours and Mr. Sparrows are rare – muggles who travel through time to discover that our world exists. All I need you to do is to tell me how my specially brewed potion tastes and how you feel a few minutes after you take it."

"Sure, I'll do it," Will agreed, and greedily drank all of the antidote from a large green goblet. Hermione watched him nervously. _I hope Snape made that potion correctly! _ After a few minutes, Will blinked, sneezed loudly, and then sat down in Snape's desk chair, clutching his head.

"Owww," he moaned. "The potion tasted just fine, but I feel like I just banged my head into a brick wall."

"Excellent," commented Snape. "You have now fully regained control over your own thoughts and feelings." Will frowned at Snape, expecting some sort of joke.

"Excuse me?" Snape shook his head in dismay.

"You've been under the influence of a love potion, and have been acting like a complete lovesick idiot. But that was the love potion antidote that I tricked you into drinking." Will scoffed,

"I don't think that I would…" But he trailed off as Lavender came out from the DADA classroom, batting her eyes.

"William," she cooed, "I'm done; let's get out of here to we can go somewhere and be alone." Will backed away from her, a little bit afraid.

"I'm sorry," he began politely, "but who are you? I'm with Hermione and I'm positive I didn't agree to cheat on her with you." Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Jack doubled over with laughter at Lavender's shocked and furious expression. Smiling with satisfaction, Hermione linked her arm with Will's and said,

"At least _I_ don't have to use magical means to attract a boyfriend. Don't you ever come near Will again." She glared at Lavender.

"You…you tricked me!" Lavender shrieked, stamping her foot in frustration. "You even involved Professor Snape with that assignment that I figured out was fake after the first five minutes of trying to figure out what the instructions meant."

"Wait a minute…was I really, you know…" said Will and they all nodded. The handsome young pirate cringed and immediately apologized to Hermione.

"I don't even remember any of it if that's any consolation," he told her truthfully. Hermione smiled and brushed a stray curl out of his piercing brown eyes.

"Will, don't worry about it," Hermione said firmly. "You didn't know she slipped some of the potion in your drink." Happily, they embraced and Lavender gave a disappointed "ugh!" Thankfully the strumpet of Gryffindor got the message that she wasn't wanted and finally left.

"So how bad was I?" Will asked.

"Um…er…" Not wanting to hurt his feelings, everyone suddenly became interested in either the floor, their hair, or in Jack's case, his dreadlocks.

"That bad, huh?" Will laughed. "Was it something that I said or something that I did?" Snape couldn't take it anymore; he visibly shuddered.

"Seeing the two of you together acting all lovey-dovey was one of the most painful experiences I've ever had to endure. And I used to be a Death Eater!" He rubbed his temples as if another headache was coming on. "I've had enough of all this student drama – all of you out of my office. Now!" He pointed at the door.

"Thanks for your help, Snapey," Jack called over his shoulder as the rest of the group made a quick exit.

"Will, mate…yeh should've heard ta things tha' were coming out o' yer mouth yesterday. Yeh definitely called Lavender 'snookums' - no wonder Snape was so revolted."

Poor Will blushed crimson as Jack recounted yesterday's events as they walked back to Gryffindor Tower. Hermione squeezed Will's hand reassuringly but the younger pirate still looked miserable as Jack continued to poke fun at him. Seeing Will's unfortunate predicament, Ginny took pity on him and turned the tables on Jack instead.

"But Snape wasn't present down by Hagrid's hut last night. If he thought you were bad, Will, he should've seen Jack…" She went on to tell him about Jack's brief infatuation with Ron. The group had a good laugh at Jack's expense and Will felt better. When they reached the common room, the boys and girls went up their respective staircases.

Hermione and Ginny were going to spend the day with Will and Jack, to celebrate the return of their 'real' pirate boys. Harry and Ron were going to start their weekend homework and try not to dwell on the fact that they didn't have girlfriends.

The sixth year girls' dormitory was empty, so Ginny brought her stuff in to Hermione's room so they could get ready together.

"You know, Gin," Hermione was saying as she changed into an outfit that was a little less casual yet still comfortable, "it's great to have Will back to himself."

"I'll bet," Ginny answered knowingly. "It must've been much harder for you, as Will was actually in love with someone who was scheming to keep him away from you. Whereas with me, I think Ron had the more traumatizing experience when Jack took the love potion." Hermione had to grin at that.

"So what are you and Jack going to do today?" Ginny shrugged.

"Whatever he wants, I guess. I was kind of hoping that I could show him around Hogsmeade. Being a pirate, I thought he might like to explore the only wizarding village in Britain." Hermione raised her eyebrows at that.

"And then at the end of the tour, you and he would end up at Madam Puddifoot's tea shop where you could snog to your heart's content."

"Hermione, you know me all too well," Ginny admitted with a grin.

"It sounds like fun; I know you'll have a great time," said Hermione, a bit wistfully.

"Hey, why the long face! You and Will could come along if you want…"

"Nah…I don't think that's really his kind of thing. And to tell you the truth, it's not really mine either. I just wish we could have a romantic day all to ourselves, without the interruptions of half the student body following him around."

"I know what you mean," said Ginny, sympathetically. "It's such a pain in the butt when girls are stalking Jack because he always flirts with them purposely to make me jealous!"

"Well," began Hermione. "He _is_ used to living a pirate's life. He only does that because he's…"

"_Captain Jack Sparrow_!" They finished her sentence in unison and laughed. It didn't take long for the young witches to finish getting ready and head downstairs.

Meanwhile, back in the sixth year boys' dormitory, Will was fretting about what he should do with Hermione while Harry, Ron, and Jack listened. Well, Jack was mostly drifting off into space mumbling something under his breath that suspiciously sounded like 'really bad eggs'.

"It's just that I want to do something extra special for Hermione," said Will. "I want to make her forget what just happened; maybe that will help alleviate some of my guilt." He looked at Harry and Ron for help, as Jack was currently dozing.

"I wish it were warmer so that we could have a picnic. I used to have so many with…never mind." He trailed off and Harry and Ron stared at him curiously, but Will didn't elaborate. Do you have any other ideas?" Harry thought for a moment.

"I know where you can hold an indoor picnic right here in the castle– it's this place called the Room of Requirement. It'll have everything you need for a picnic and more. Trust me, she'll love it," Harry assured Will. Ron nodded in agreement. Will looked happier and finished changing his clothes.

"We'd better go with you to the Room of Requirement; that way we can tell you exactly how it works," said Harry as he, Ron, Jack and Will descended the stairs to the common room.

"That'd be great," Will thanked them as they waited for the girls to arrive. Not a moment later, Ginny and Hermione appeared, each looking pretty in her own way. Hermione had a more classy look where as Ginny came off as more sassy and confident.

"Hey Jack, I was thinking that we might go to Hogsmeade village," said Ginny. "Does that sound even remotely interesting?"

"Absolutely," Jack answered. "Is there a pub?" When she nodded, Jack looked extremely excited.

"Excellent – I look forward ta trying some more o' the wizarding alcoholic drinks. Shall we?" Ginny took his offered hand and they exited through the portrait hole. Harry looked quite glum after they left, Hermione noted with satisfaction.

"I've got a surprise for you," said Will, smiling at her, then giving her a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Really!" she beamed up at him. "Aw, that's so sweet, but it's not necessary. Will, I'm happy just spending the day with you."

"I know, but you deserve a surprise. Follow me." He gave her a mysterious look and along with Harry and Ron, led her through the castle until they reached the desired floor.

"Will, why all the secrecy?" She was trying to get him to confess, but he was having none of it.

"Impatient are we?" He teased her. "Well, you'll only have to wait a bit longer." They rounded the corner and were faced with a long, sparse corridor.

"It's right here, Will," said Harry.

"All you have to do is think about what you need and walk past it three times," Ron reminded him. Hermione gasped clasping her hands together in excitement as she realized where they were.

"Oh Will…the Room of Requirement! It's perfect!" Hermione moved to hug Will but before she could reach him, someone materialized out of thin air between her and the boys.

"What the…Malfoy?" said an incredulous Harry, narrowing his eyes.

"In the flesh," drawled the Slytherin. "What do you want, Potter?"

"We want to know what you were using the room for!" Ron spoke up angrily.

"None of your business, Weasel!" Malfoy snapped. "You'll never find out what it is, so don't even waste any of your time trying!"

"I know that whatever you were doing in there was illegal," Harry countered. They glared at each other with mutual contempt as only enemies could.

"Draco – you don't have to keep doing it, whatever it is," pleaded Hermione.

"It's not that simple! None of you would understand why I have to do this," Malfoy spat angrily. "It's expected of me as the single heir of one of the most powerful remaining pureblood families. If I don't complete this task, the best possible scenario is that I'll be disowned by my entire family. "

"I may not understand what your secret is, but I understand what it's like to live within the restrictions of a rigid class system," Will proclaimed quietly. Hermione looked at him in surprise. She'd never heard him speak about this part of his life.

"I was never expected to amount to anything, but it didn't keep me from becoming a successful craftsman. Don't be afraid to step out of your boundaries at times, especially when you feel strongly about something." Malfoy didn't respond for a long time.

"You know, _blacksmith_, I don't think I'll be taking your advice after what happened when you stepped over your social boundaries with Elizabeth." He smirked in triumph as Will's face hardened.

"What do you mean by that?" said Harry in angry confusion.

"You're not the only student who can perform occulmency, Potter," said Malfoy as he pushed past Harry, Ron and Will. An awkward silence passed after the Slytherin prefect left. Although she knew it was rude to ask, Hermione's curiosity got the better of her.

"Who's Elizabeth?"

End Ch. 11

Oooh! Cliffie! Review…I made it extra long for you.


	12. The New Order

Disclaimer: Hermione, Ginny and the other HP characters belong to JKR, not me. Jack and Will from PotC belong to Disney.

My readers and reviewers are so good to me! (I've got over 5,000 hits) Thank you all!

InwePirateElf: Yes, that was a strange Will Turner! But he was under the influence, what can you expect? Hehe. I'm glad you're reading this. :D

Ellie: Thanks for reading…your opinion really matters to me. It lets me know that I'm not writing a bunch of crap. Yeah, thank God for antidotes!

Avchocoholic: Thanks…I did try hard to make it extra long! ;)

SenatorSolo: I'm glad you liked the Draco part. I just can't let people forget what he's doing. (Of course if they've read the 6th book they should remember, but still.) Kingdom of Heaven DVD and Elizabethtown in one weekend! Wahoo! Love ya!

Shero: Yay, you think I'm interesting! Thanks, I'll try to update faster.

LunaStella13: Just letting you know – I put this story under Hermione and Harry because it has both of them in it. There hasn't been any hints of romance between them…they're just friends. I'm making this clear now so you don't think that I'm trying to trick you. Because that is not my intention. I'm sorry if it's not what you expected.

Captain-Ammie: Someone liked the name game! Sweet! While I doubt it was invented in Jack's time, it just made sense for me to have him sing it.

The Gryffindor Drummer: I'm glad you like 'em long! Thanks for the review.

Chocolatrouxluv: Possessive of Johnny much! Hehe. Yes, it was fun for me to write about Jack pissing off Snape. But Snape deserves it! I wouldn't do that to Lupin or someone cool. Yes hun, Jack is most definitely a BIG FLIRT! I hate to break that to ya…but that's just his character, lol. Jack and Ginny are going to have a lot of fun in Hogsmeade, don't you worry! And the bit about Malfoy as well as the part about Elizabeth shall play big parts later on in the story. So pay attention to them! ;) Thanks for reading this. It makes me feel loved. I'll update soon…promise!

Legolover: I'm so glad to know that Jack arrived safely. Good for you, stealing his rum. He shouldn't have access to it 24/7. That's just not good for anyone, even Captain Jack Sparrow! Hehe. You go have fun w/your magical pixies and whatnot. Thanks for another awesome, crazy review:D

Ch. 12: The New Order

"Who was Elizabeth?" asked Hermione. Will bit his lip, and Hermione saw that his eyes reflected that he was hurting.

"Hey Harry, weren't Fred and George supposed to arrive sometime today?" asked Ron.

"Yeah, you're right," realized Harry. "They were coming to work on a charm that would send the pirates back to their own time. Let's go see if they're here yet." Harry and Ron made a quick exit, leaving Will and Hermione on their own.

"Will, I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to..." Hermione began, but he interrupted her.

"I don't want to talk about Elizabeth right now, alright? She was an old girlfriend; that's all you need to know," he said defensively. "Besides, I'm here to be with you, not to reminisce about painful memories." He gave her a small encouraging smile to show her that he wasn't angry at her.

"Still, Malfoy had no right to delve into your mind like that!" Hermione exclaimed. "I'm going to tell Professor Dumbledore about all this."

"No, you don't have to," Will protested. "He has enough on his mind already I'm sure. I just wasn't aware that wizards had that capability. It just surprised me."

"Believe me, Will, there are laws about doing that sort of thing. Malfoy shouldn't have violated you like that. It's a serious offense; he'll just keep doing it to other people if I don't turn him in." Will shrugged.

"Well, then maybe you should turn him in. He wasn't the nicest person, was he?" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"He's always been like that; thinking that purebloods are the only people who matter. Seriously, he thinks he's the greatest thing since wands were invented," she fumed.

"Hey," said Will, comfortingly putting his arm around her shoulder. "It's over. We're both still in one piece. Let's just forget about it, shall we?" Hermione nodded and Will walked past the room three times.

Suddenly arched doorway appeared. Will yanked open the heavy door by its silver knob and held it while Hermione walked through. She was greeted with the familiar interior where Harry's D.A. meetings had been held. Now, however, the room wasn't full of instructional DADA books and dark detectors.

Instead, a spacious blanket was spread out on the floor, topped with plenty of food fit for a midday meal. Fluffy feather-filled cushions sat next to the blankets. A cheery fire that danced in the fireplace welcomed them to the magically enhanced room. Will and Hermione were both entranced by this clandestine chamber that Hogwarts boasted.

"Will, this is amazing," Hermione said softly and his face lit up. "You are so sweet; thank you for doing all this."

"It was my pleasure," he told her, smiling. "It's the least I could do after yesterday. Shall we?" He helped her down onto the cushion, and then sat down himself.

"I hope you're hungry," said Will.

"I'm starving," she admitted. Hermione eagerly eyed the food. The blanket was brimming with assorted fruits, casserole dishes, sliced ham, honey-glazed croissants, celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella and American cheese cubes, and countless desserts including cherry pie, angel food cake, and chocolate mousse.

Will gave the most adorable giggle when she reached for a plate but then pulled her hand back guiltily after glancing back at him.

"Go ahead; let's eat!" Without further ado, they each grabbed a golden plate and began filling it. But when Will reached for the pitcher, he was disappointed to find it lacking a liquid.

"The pitcher's empty," Will puzzled aloud.

"It's supposed to be; it doesn't know what you want," explained Hermione. "Watch this," she instructed and held the pitcher. "Raspberry lemonade." The silver pitcher immediately filled with a sweet smelling burgundy liquid. She poured her drink into a jeweled goblet and drank deeply.

"Impressive," Will commented. "I'll never get over how convenient everything is in the Wizarding World." He took the pitcher and said, "Pumpkin juice, please." While he was pouring his glass, Hermione teased him about his choice of drink.

"That's such an everyday drink!" Will grinned.

"Not for me, its not. I love the stuff, and I plan to get my fill while I'm here." They sat in silence as they ate their lunch, just enjoying each other's company. Soon all of the food was gone except for a solitary cluster of grapes. Will and Hermione looked the fruit and then at each other.

"You can have them," Hermione offered. Will smiled.

"That's ok. I'm so full already."

Will picked off some grapes from their stem and slowly fed them to Hermione. She savored their juicy, saccharine taste almost as much as she savored Will's fingertips grazing her mouth. After she chewed the last grape, Hermione gave a huge yawn.

"You're sleepy already?" Will teased her.

"Ha," she snorted. "You shouldn't talk – you were the one that kept all of Gryffindor tower up, remember?" Will cringed.

"Oh yeah. Sorry." Hermione shrugged.

"It's quite alright." Standing up, she flopped onto the sofa, laid down, and got comfortable. Will came over with the blanket and covered her so she wouldn't get cold. He just stood there in the middle of the room, looking unsure of what he should do.

"C'mere, Will." Hermione motioned towards the sofa. "I won't bite." Still, he hesitated.

"Are you sure it would be proper…" She hid a smile.

"Will, I trust you." He finally grinned and climbed under the covers with her. Spooning next to her, Will held her close causing her to sigh contentedly.

"I'm so glad you're here," Hermione confessed. "It's been great spending time with you rather than worrying over the situation with Voldemort."

"I'm glad to be here too," he whispered, his warm breath tickling her ear. "You've really helped me keep my mind off Elizabeth."

"Will, I'm so sorry she hurt you. You don't deserve that," she whispered.

"Thanks," he said softly. Hermione fell asleep almost immediately in his arms and Will followed soon after.

Meanwhile, Ginny was leading Jack down the passageway that led from the castle to Honeydukes' cellar. They had barely gotten away from Snape, who had been near the statue of the one-eyed witch which marked the entrance to the secret passageway.

"Whew, that was close," breathed Ginny as they rushed down the tunnel towards the sunlight.

"Yer tellin' me," Jack panted. "I've had enough o' him, thanks." Eventually they reached their destination, and Jack helped her lift the stone, revealing the basement of Honeydukes. The pirate captain's eyes bugged out when he noticed all the boxes of wizard candy.

"Woah! Rum-flavored suckers!" He ran over to the box and ripped it open.

"Wait, Jack!" Ginny screeched. "You don't have to steal those! Let's go upstairs and I'll buy you one the honest way." He looked at her guiltily.

"Sorry, luv. Old habits die hard." Ginny grinned at him.

"It's fine. Now come on!" They quietly made their way up the stairs and when the coast was clear, went into the shop. As he was in a silly mood, Jack grabbed some of the cockroach cluster samples and stuck them down Ginny's back, causing her to scream in surprise. But Ginny got him back by offering Jack a rum acid pop, which burned a hole in the pirate's tongue. All of the students in the shop laughed as Jack ran around looking for some liquid to extinguish his flaming tongue. Eventually they called a truce, and Jack began to suck on the rum lollipop that Ginny had bought him.

"You should've seen your face," laughed Ginny as they exited Honeydukes into the freezing weather.

"Very funny," Jack muttered. "I need a drink." Ginny rolled her eyes. How typical of him.

"Well you're in luck because the Three Broomsticks is dead ahead." As soon as they entered the bustling pub, much to Ginny's dismay, women and Hogwarts girls alike began to stare at Jack. The pirate, of course, was enjoying the extra female attention immensely.

"One butterbeer and a firewhiskey," Ginny ordered as Jack grabbed a booth. Miss Weasley counted her sickles, paid for the drinks, and then joined her pirate.

"Ahh, this is just what I needed," Jack commented as he slurped his firewhiskey. Ginny agreed with him wholeheartedly. While she contentedly sipped her butterbeer, Jack entertained her with funny stories from his childhood.

"…And then they made me their chief," he concluded. Ginny smiled happily at him.

"Jack, this has been an amazing few days…" But she was interrupted by a horde of girls wanting to see Jack.

"Wow, it's really him!" gushed one.

"It's Captain Jack Sparrow! Aren't his eyes dreamy!" exclaimed another.

"He's gorgeous!" cried a particularly ditzy blonde Hufflepuff.

Jack's nervous gaze went from Ginny to the girls and back to Ginny again. He didn't know what to do – Ginny was glaring at the girls but it didn't seem to be having any effect.

"Excuse me, ladies," Jack began, but they all started screaming again when he spoke. Ginny rolled her eyes, grabbed her drink, and stood up.

"Will you guys ever grow up?" Without another word she headed for the exit in a huff, leaving Jack alone with the girls. The pirate stammered a goodbye and ran after Ginny who was angrily marching down the cobblestone street.

"Ginny! Slow down!" Jack yelled, struggling to keep up, but the red-haired witch didn't slow her speed. Finally he caught up with her. "Why did you run out of the pub like that?"

"I just didn't think I was wanted," she said coolly. "You had all those other girls – I didn't think I'd be missed." Jack looked at her, baffled.

"What do ya mean, luv? A course I'd miss ya! Yer me girl." He pulled her close and gave her a long kiss as if that settled the matter.

"Well, if that's the case," began Ginny, who looked a lot happier, "I know this really great place where we can go…" Ten minutes later, Jack and Ginny entered Madam Puddifoot's tea shop.

"One table for two," Jack told the hostess. "And if ya can, could we sit near the back? We don' wish ta be disturbed." The hostess beamed at him.

"Of course, sir. We have a back table available right now." She led Jack and Ginny to their table, which had a quaint little tea set and not much else. "Now if you need anything, just call." Finally Ginny and Jack were alone.

"Anyway, as I was saying," began Ginny as she took a seat across from Jack, "I'm really glad you're here. Hogwarts hasn't been this much fun since…" she trailed off, noticing Jack had 'accidentally' brushed his hand against her leg.

"Mr. Sparrow!" Ginny exclaimed indigently. "I know exactly what you are trying to do." Jack recoiled, expecting to be slapped.

"Sorry, luv. I just…" But Ginny interrupted him.

"And I like it," she told him, seductively. Jack's jaw dropped and Ginny laughed. "Don't look so surprised, Jack. I'm not really all that shy."

"I knew I liked you," Jack teased, and then claimed her mouth in a searing kiss. They made out for what seemed like hours and Ginny loved every minute of it. Jack's expert attention to her mouth was like nothing she'd ever experience with her previous boyfriends. They were the last customers to leave – it had been a night Ginny Weasley would never forget.

Hermione and Ginny spent the rest of the weekend with their pirate boys. Of course Harry and Ron envied the pirates who were spending time with their friends. But the girls didn't notice this. All too soon, the wonderful weekend had to end. Reality came crashing down when classes resumed and McGonagall handed out the 6th years' grades on their pop-quizzes from the previous week.

"Oh no, I got a 'T'!" Ron moaned as he stared at his Transfiguration quiz in dismay. Will, who was still attending classes with Hermione, leaned over and whispered in her ear,

"What's a 'T'?" Hermione giggled and told him. "It stands for 'Troll'.

"Oh," whispered Will, knowingly. "I'm guessing that's bad, right?" She nodded, chuckling.

"It's the worst." Not wanting to make Ron look bad, she tried to reassure him that one bad grade wouldn't be the end of the world.

"Don't worry, Ron. Professor McGonagall is just trying to weed out people from her class…after all this _is_ the N.E.W.T. level."

"I'm not too worried," he assured her. "She always drops our lowest quiz grade. Last week I forgot to do the reading as I was, er, busy." He was of course referring to spending time with Lavender and had the decency to look sheepish.

"But now that we're friends again, maybe you could help me study – I could really use some help." Hermione genuinely smiled at him.

"I'd like that." An awkward silence followed, which Ron quickly broke.

"Harry, how'd you do?" Ron asked. Harry shrugged and tried to downplay his good grade.

"I got an 'E'. But it's no big deal…I'd already covered most of the material on the quiz with Dumbledore in our lessons." No one had to ask Hermione what she got…they always assumed that she received an 'O', which she had. Will asked her what those grades meant and she told him 'Exceeds Expectations', and 'Outstanding', respectively.

"Well that makes sense; an outstanding grade for my outstanding girl," said Will smiling at her. Hermione glowed at his high praise – if any other guy had told her that, he would've come off as sounding corny. But being from the 18th century, gentlemanly Will could pull it off. _It feels good to have someone appreciate my intellect. Especially when that someone is Will._ The young pirate gazed at her like he wanted to kiss her, but McGonagall cleared her throat and Hermione looked down at the table, embarrassed. Will squeezed her hand under the table instead.

"Today, class, we are going to be transfiguring porcupines into…" But what they would be changing the porcupines into, Hermione never found out.

"All students and staff need to come to the Great Hall immediately," commanded Dumbledore's soft voice, which was magically magnified all over the castle. "Prefects, help the teachers insure order; make sure no one is left behind." Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged worried glances as they stood to exit the Transfiguration classroom. Hermione clutched Will's hand, who had automatically reached for his sword.

"I'm afraid that won't do you much good here," she told him as the class made its way down the changing staircases and down the long hall past the numerous suits of armor to the Great Hall.

"You're right," he sighed. "It was just an automatic reflex." When they finally arrived, most of the school was already seated at their respective tables. Ginny joined the group of 6th year Gryffindors just as a drained-looking Dumbledore stood up to make an announcement.

"It has come to my attention that Voldemort is planning a surprise attack on Hogwarts." Several shrieks of terror rang out while the rest of the students began to chatter nervously. The headmaster held up his hands for silence, and everyone quieted down. Dumbledore spoke again.

"I can assure you that you are safe for the moment. If your parents can take you, I'd prefer for you to return home by tonight. The older students shall be escorted just off the grounds where they can safely apparate home. We are still deciding the safest way for the rest of you to leave. But I promise that I shall do everything with in my power to ensure that every one of you arrives home safely." Some of the first years looked about ready to cry…whereas the older boys seemed angry enough to want to take on the Death Eaters themselves.

"Now, I need to meet with the heads of the houses, the prefects, the head boy and girl, and anyone who was involved in last year's DA. You know who you are." All of the students glanced at Harry before turning back to Dumbledore. Everyone remembered how Harry had defied Professor Umbridge when he started the DADA club, entitling it the DA - which stood for 'Dumbledore's Army'.

"Please, try and entertain yourselves for the next hour or so. The rest of the staff will be on hand and shall try to answer any questions the best they can. Thank you." The volume of noise rose to a dull roar when Dumbledore stopped speaking. Hermione and her friends slowly made their way through the crowd towards the staff table. Jack was rubbing Ginny's back reassuringly and Hermione was still clutching Will's hand.

Merely nodding at them, Dumbledore lead the select teachers and students out of the hall and into an unused classroom. With a casual flick of his wand, he closed the door behind them with a resounding 'click'. Out of nowhere, chairs appeared and everyone quickly took a seat. Dumbledore waited until everyone was settled before he began.

"Now I know you're all wondering why you're here." Everyone nodded except for Snape and McGonagall, who seemed to know exactly what was going on. Dumbledore started off by asking them,

"Are you aware that an anti-Voldemort network exists?" Most of the people nodded. "Well, for those of you who don't know, it's called the Order of the Phoenix." Will and Jack of course didn't know what he meant, but kept listening. Even Jack was paying attention to Dumbledore at a time like this.

"Even as we speak, many brave witches and wizards are putting their lives at stake, attempting dangerous missions to gather information about the Dark Side. All of its members have signed a contract stating they can never back out from their obligations. Every member is prepared to die for the sake of the existence of good in the wizarding world, if it came to that. What I wanted to ask all of you is," he hesitated, looking older than ever, "Would any of you be interested in joining the Order?"

End Ch. 12

Just out of curiosity, which activity do you prefer? Staying in and having a quiet meal like Will and Hermione, or going out and having night on the town like Jack and Ginny?


	13. Into the Past

Disclaimer: Hermione, Ginny and the other HP characters belong to JKR, not me. Jack and Will from PotC belong to Disney.

SenatorSolo: So you prefer going out! That's cool…I do to sometimes but usually I'd rather stay in, in a more relaxed/familiar setting. Yes, Voldemort is a problem. You should be scared, muahaha! But the wizarding world now has Captain Jack Sparrow on their side…that's got to count for something, hehe! (And dear William, of course. :D)

Chocolatrouxluv: Sorry about the ditzy Jack fan-girl! I know you're all not like that. Will has a few crazy ones like that too, lol. Both staying in/going out is a good answer…it really does depend on one's mood I think. Thanks for a great review, hun!

Calliope Foster: Nice penname! I'm glad you liked it…thanks for your two reviews.

Captain-Ammie: Ah, someone after my own heart. I too prefer staying in. I hoped you liked the Jack parts! Thanks for being so encouraging.

Pureangel86: Nope, I REPEAT it's not a Harry/Hermione. Thanks for the review anyway. You were born in my birth year!

Legolover: You called me duckie! Cool…what does that mean? Is it a name of affection? I sure hope so… So yeah, torturing Voldie with Disney songs – it totally sounds plausible for the last HP book. Not. I actually like most Disney songs (I know what a WEIRDO) especially the Lion King soundtrack. Thanks for another great wacky review!

Lunastella13: Wahoo…another point for staying in. I'm sorry you're disappointed about the lack of 'Harmony'. I can see why you thought it would be that kind of fic. Thanks for reading and reviewing anyway.

Avchocoholic: Ah, someone who likes to go out. I wish I had your energy! Thanks for a nice review.

The Gryffindor Drummer: Thanks, I'm glad you're still interested.

InwePirateElf: I'm glad you like both. But if I personally had to choose, I don't think I could resist a night of spooning with Wills. (sighs dreamily) I'm thrilled that you liked E-Town! Some of the critics didn't and I was like, screw you! It was so great to see places that I drive by everyday on the screen. And of course Orlando looked scrumdiddilydumtious without his shirt on! My friend almost had a heart attack during that scene…it was hilarious! I'm glad that you enjoyed the romantic moments in the previous chapter...the story needed some especially since it will be taking a more dramatic turn. You shall see about the new Order, read on!

Thanks again to all my readers…I now have over 5,500 hits!

Ch. 13: Into the Past

"Would any of you be interested in joining the Order?" Dumbledore looked around the room expectantly and locked eyes with the one person that he'd hoped would join.

"I want to join, sir," Harry firmly proclaimed. "This is the perfect opportunity to become directly involved in the fight against Voldemort." Hermione gave a bittersweet sigh; she knew how much that joining the Order of the Phoenix meant to Harry. Ever since Mr. Potter discovered that the Dark Lord had murdered his parents, he'd wanted vengeance. Hermione couldn't blame him; if someone had killed her parents she'd want revenge too.

"So be it," said Dumbledore, slowly giving him a nod of approval. No one spoke, they felt like this moment was meant for Harry and Dumbledore alone. But eventually, Ernie Macmillan broke the awkward silence.

"Excellent, Harry, old boy." Ernie clasped Harry on the back, causing the green-eyed wizard to wince. "I'm behind you all the way." Sometimes it's a good thing Ernie was so pompous, Hermione thought amusedly.

"I'll join the Order, Harry," promised Parvati.

"Me too," said Terry Boot, a handsome 6th year Ravenclaw boy who's father had been killed by the agents of the Dark Lord. They smiled at each other. Soon all of the teaching staff, the prefects, and the D.A. had pledged their lives to the Order, including Ron and Hermione.

"Excellent," said Dumbledore, beaming. "I'm very pleased that each and everyone of you have decided to join."

"Excuse me, Albus, but how can we help?" Will asked earnestly. But before Dumbledore could reply, Jack butted in.

"Will, mate, are you crazy? We can't exactly help them fight some all powerful wizard!" Jack exclaimed. "Besides, we need to return to our own time. We don't belong here."

Fred and George Weasley, who had arrived the previous day, spoke up.

"About that - we've figured out away to send you back via this time-turner." Fred held up an ancient hour glass complete with an attached long, thread-like silver chain.

"Yes, we wouldn't want you to risk your lives – this isn't your war to fight," George emphasized.

"But –" Will protested, but was cut short when Hagrid arrived, out of breath.

"Headmaster," he panted. "The firs' years are gettin' all worked up… about you know 'oo. And the other students are getting' restless. They keep wantin' ta know…. when they're goin' home." Hagrid looked at Dumbledore expectantly.

"We need to figure out what would be the safest way to escort the students who aren't old enough to apparate home." Dumbledore looked at his audience waiting for suggestions. When she saw there were none, Hermione reluctantly raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" Hermione felt all eyes on her.

"Well, I thought it'd be easiest if the younger students left by train. There is a train that leaves Hogsmeade and travels to London every Monday, right?" The headmaster nodded encouragingly.

"Go on."

"While they ride on the train, all of us," she gestured to the new members of the Order, "could protect them from the air. We can use the school brooms to fly above the train, making sure that no harm comes to those inside." Everyone mulled this idea over for awhile.

"It's a good idea," admitted Will. "The only thing is that I'm afraid that those in the air will be too vulnerable to attack. I don't want anything to happen to you, Hermione." He gazed at her with such caring that she felt her heart might burst. Not to be outdone, Jack quickly added,

"I wouldn't want something to happen to you, Ginny, either." The pirate captain frowned. "Don't ye wizards have some way tha' ye can become invisible? If ye wouldn't be seen, I'd feel a whole lot better about everyone's safety."

"You're brilliant, Jack!" squealed Ginny, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Why thank you, luv," Jack smirked, pointing at himself before giving a mock-bow. "I do me best." Ginny ignored his gloating, and continued on excitedly.

"We can cast the invisibility charm on everyone that is going to patrol the skies above the train!" Ginny watched worriedly as the students and teachers alike whispered among themselves. She breathed a huge sigh of relief when everyone agreed that plan was the best they had.

"Wait a minute," said Harry. "What happens to the kids when the train reaches platform 9 and ¾? None of their parents will be there to take them home as they don't know their children are coming home." Ron turned to his best friend, thinking hard.

"Couldn't we send out a few owls with coded messages to a few people? Like to my father for instance – he wouldn't mind getting the word out about the evacuation." Dumbledore beamed at Ron.

"I was hoping someone would mention that detail – I already sent Dilys from the portrait in my office to her other portrait in St. Mungo's with a message. But I'm pleased to know that you thought to send word of our plan." Ron blushed, but was saved from replying by Ernie Macmillan.

"I say it's time to put this plan into action," crowed Ernie. "Who's ready?"

"I am!" Dean and Seamus answered in unison.

"Me too!" replied Hannah Abbott. One by one, the students declared their enthusiasm. Hermione noted that Harry kept shooting Ernie grateful looks. _He must really appreciate not having to be the leader this once._

"Hey, where's Malfoy?" Harry whispered to Ron as the girls went to stand by their respective pirates.

"I dunno," Ron worried, biting his lip. "He's the only prefect that didn't show. Do you think we should mention it to Dumbledore?"

"Nah, I think he already knows," replied Harry. "Besides, he looks like he's got his hands full at the moment." The boy-who-lived pointed at Jack, who was pestering the headmaster.

"But I want ta join the Order!" yelled Jack. "Pleeease!" Dumbledore looked at McGonagall and she shrugged. "Pretty please with me on top?" Jack winked at Ginny who just rolled her eyes. Hermione was the only one who noticed Ginny's faint blush.

"Would you want to join as well, Will?" Dumbledore asked.

"Very much so," the handsome young pirate said eagerly. He gave Hermione a meaningful look and she gave him a grateful smile. She knew Will would never miss out on a chance to protect her. Dumbledore and McGonagall held a mini-conference while everyone else reflected about what they'd just done.

"After much discussion, I suppose that would be alright…" The elderly wizard barely got the words out of his mouth before he was smothered by Jack, who gave him a big bear hug.

"Jack!" Ginny yelled. "Stop that; you'll crush him!" The pirate quickly realized his mistake and released a very shaken-up Dumbledore.

"Sorry, Albus," he said, sheepishly. Dumbledore shrugged and cracked a tiny smile.

"I'm just glad to have your and Will's assistance in our fight against Voldemort." Will and Jack nodded seriously. "Now then, let's start evacuating the younger students." Following him, everyone filed out of the classroom and towards the Great Hall. Dumbledore returned to his place at the head of the staff table and addressed the student body.

"Alright, this is how we will evacuate. First years will line up first behind Hagrid…" Immediately, the first years stood up, chattering excitedly. But before they could head towards the groundkeeper, Dumbledore held up his hands in silence.

"Please sit down. I didn't dismiss you yet." Obediently, the first years returned to their seats. "Now, we have a plan involving some of the older students and teachers that will ensure everyone's safety; but for it to work, you all must remain calm. As I was saying, the first years will line up, and the second years behind them, and so forth. Also, I want everyone to buddy up – I don't mean to insult your ages, but one can never be too careful in these dark times. I don't want anyone left behind." He meaningfully scanned the room, hoping that all of his students would take his suggestion to heart.

Hermione knew exactly who her buddy was…he had put his arm around her when Dumbledore mentioned the idea. Leaning into Will, she listened as the headmaster finished his speech.

"Please, line up in an orderly fashion; you are dismissed." To Hermione's amazement, the students didn't stampede; they just walked to form a queue just as Dumbledore had asked.

As soon as the younger students had followed Hagrid out the front entrance, the new members of the Order clustered around the teachers, who cast the invisibility charm on them, as well as each other. Even Will and Jack had the charm cast upon them.

"Did it work?" Neville asked anxiously to nobody in particular. "I still can see everyone."

"Yes," Hermione assured him. "Since you have an invisibility charm cast upon you, you can see anyone else who is invisible, but to all others you are completely invisible."

"Oh," said, Neville finally understanding the complexity of the spell. McGonagall cut their conversation short.

"We must hurry," she urged the new Order members as they were handed their brooms but Madam Hooch who'd just dashed to the Quidditch locker rooms to retrieve them. "The Death Eaters could be arriving at any moment!" she warned.

Taking her hint, everyone mounted their brooms (except for Will and Jack of course, who rode with Hermione and Ginny, respectively) and flew out of the entrance. The new Order steadily rose in altitude until they could see the train station. Lead by Dumbledore, they swooped down closer to see Hagrid and Madam Pomfrey overseeing the younger students boarding the train. Everything seemed to be going smoothly until the train began to pull out of the station.

"Look!" Hermione whispered to Will, pointing at ten figures cloaked in black on brooms that were zooming towards the train. "They must be Death Eaters!"

Dumbledore motioned for them to follow the train as it sluggishly chugged out of Hogsmeade Station. In no time the entire new Order were floating behind Voldemort's goons. The head Death Eater (in this case it looked like Avery) began to signal to the others to begin the attack. Everyone drew their wands, Will hugged Hermione, and a white-faced Jack also hugged Ginny but for a different reason – he was deathly afraid of heights! Dumbledore held up his fingers...three…two…one…

"Stupefy!" The Order members cried in unison. The stunning spells took the unsuspecting Death Eaters by surprise and they cried out in frustration. Many dropped their wands while others simply froze on their brooms. However, one spell missed one of the Death Eaters. Crabbe whirled around in panic, looking for an unseen attacker and found no one.

"Sectumsempra!" Harry roared, shooting the spell right at Crabbe. Blood exploded on the Death Eater's robes; his cries of agony could be heard for miles around. Dumbledore muttered something and the wound began to magically conceal itself. The headmaster helped a dazed Crabbe return to the ground while everyone else looked at Harry in shock.

"I swear I didn't know that spell would affect him that badly!" The boy-who-lived genuinely looked sorry for the damage that his spell had inflicted. "I just wanted to see what it would do."

"Then maybe you should practice it on something that isn't alive," Snape sneered. He turned his back on Harry, and with the rest of the teachers save for McGonagall, helped the stunned Death Eaters fly back to the ground.

"I know you didn't mean it, Harry," Ginny told him, and he felt better. McGonagall cleared her throat, getting everyone's attention.

"It won't be long before the Death Eaters regroup and return for another attack –"

"Don't worry, Professor; we can take 'em!" Ernie assured her, but she shook her head.

"No – I won't allow it. Not until you've had some more training. Besides, I don't want to take the chance that any of the new members may die in the impending fight..."

"But Professor," Harry interjected, "We have nowhere to train. Voldemort's spies are everywhere; if he can infiltrate Hogwarts, than no place is safe."

"Not to worry; I have an idea." Minerva McGonagall motioned to a bewildered looking Fred and George and she whispered her idea to them. Soon the Weasley twins were nodding in approval. Fred announced their new plan to the group.

"We will be going into the past. Precisely, we shall return with Will and Jack to their time, and Harry, my brother, and I will train you in intensive DADA." Will grinned at Hermione, who was relieved that they'd be separated sooner than they had to be. Jack forgot about his fear of heights for a second and pumped his fist in the air.

"Yes! I get to see me _Pearl_ again!"

"Could we all stay on your ship, Captain?" George asked Jack, who shrugged.

"I don't see why not if you don't mind being a bit cramped. The crew may not be happy, but they can always disembark at the next port." Jack gave Ginny a big hug – he was ecstatic about returning to his ship and his old life as Captain of the _Black Pearl_. Fred pulled out the time turner that he'd thankfully remembered to bring, and threw the chain around Will and Jack's necks. Will squeezed Hermione's hand reassuringly. _I hope this works and nothing goes wrong!_

"Everyone join hands!" McGonagall ordered, and the new Order members were linked by their hands. All except for McGonagall – she was staying behind to fight. Fred gave the hourglass the right number of turns and Hermione's stomach dropped as she crossed the past dimensions of space and time back to the 18th century.

End Ch. 13

Review please!


	14. Elizabeth's Letter

Disclaimer: Hermione, Ginny and the other HP characters belong to JKR, not me. Jack and Will from PotC belong to Disney.

WillsOneLove: OMG, thank you so much for reviewing all those chapters! You really made me feel loved! ;) That sucks about your computer…that happened to me a couple years ago and it was not fun! I really appreciate that you still read my stuff. So you'd like to stay in with Will, eh? Join the club! I really think that would be so romantic just the two of you. I've been super busy with school and stuff too…it's getting harder to find the time to update this and my other Troy story. But people like you make me write faster since I know they're dying to read the next installment. Thanks for believing in me. I hope you like this next chapter!

TheOneandOnlyBarry: Thanks so much – you're awesome too!

Mae-E: I love new reviewers! I'm glad you're interested! Thanks for the complements…I do try to make it funny. Especially the Snape parts. Can't you just picture Jack messing with him:D

Sancontoa: Another new reviewer! Don't worry, the HP kids in the 18th century will be quite an interesting read, lol. Thanks for the nice review.

Miss Malevolent: You are too kind, lol. I'm so glad you like the mix of HP and PotC…I think they are two great fandoms, and I'd never read a crossover like that before so I decided to create my own. Heh, Snape the ape…it's fun having Jack torture the teachers! It may seem lighthearted, but it will become more dramatic before the story comes to an end. Keep reading and reviewing! I really appreciate your feedback.

Avchocaholic: You have no idea, lol. Jack and Will can only do the best they can to convince the crew of the Black Pearl that the wizards are harmless.

Legolover: Very true…people back then weren't very open-minded. Thanks for another wacky review…I'm glad you like Disney songs, lol. Duckie…cool name. Yeah, so I'll try not to disappoint. Is Jack still hangin' out at your place causing havoc everywhere he goes? Because he hasn't shown up here in awhile. Will and I are getting worried about him. If you could just check on him, that'd be great.

SenatorSolo: Aw, thanks Megan! I do try to keep Will and Jack in character…and believe me it's not to hard to do…sometimes Jack writes himself! And of course it's not too difficult to write the ever noble and caring Will:D Your HP story is getting good!

TheGryffindorDrummer: Thanks a lot! Keep reading.

InwePirate-Elf: Yeah, critics are stupid. Period. I loved Elizabethtown! It was such a great movie…and the fact that I love Orlando in no way makes me biased. Not at all. LOL! Thanks for the review…and for letting me use your idea to put Will and Jack in the Order. Enjoy this next chapter!

Ch. 14: Elizabeth's Letter

Hermione, Will, Jack, the Weasley brothers, and the D.A. spun back through approximately three hundred years of time. If they'd been going more slowly, they would've witnessed great moments of historical importance - but in reverse. They would've seen Lord Voldemort's rise to power, Dark Lord Grindelwald's defeat coinciding with the Muggle World War II, the abolishment of slavery pertaining to all magical creatures (which led to the Muggle abolition of slavery) and the defeat of another notorious Dark wizard, Lord Krakenus (which induced the American and French Revolutions). But alas, the Weasley twins' time turner worked perfectly, miraculously sending the lot of them back to Jack's ship in the year 1705 within the space of a minute.

"Thud". Forty people materialized out of thin air and landed on the wooden deck of the _Black Pearl, which was docked near Tortuga_. Luckily for them, most of the pirate crew was still asleep below decks. Although everyone arrived in one piece, the rapid time travel did not leave them unaffected. Harry and Dean had to grab the ship's railing in order to keep their balance. Several people including Ernie, Neville, and Ron were clutching their stomachs and moaning their discomfort.

"You okay Ron?" asked Hermione.

"Yeah, you don't look so good," commented Ginny when she saw her brother's queasy look. Ron didn't answer - he just ran to the side and puked.

"Ew!" screamed Parvati, wrinkling her nose. The three girls weren't affected because they were used to time travel by now, thanks to the multiple daydream charms. Ron finished and wiped off his mouth with his sleeve.

"I'm alright," he assured them, his face still pale. "Hey, how come you didn't get sick?" He asked Will, who shrugged.

"I don't know - I guess I have a strong stomach. After all, I do spend most of my days at sea," the handsome pirate pointed out, his shoulder-length brown hair blowing in the wind.

"Oh," said Ron, frowning when he noticed Will's arm protectively around Hermione's waist. But before Ron could question Will further, the group came upon one of Jack's crew, who was staring at them curiously. Jack greeted the gray-bearded man warmly and then gestured to the forty some odd Hogwarts students.

"These are my friends…young wizards and witches in training, meet Mr. Gibbs!" The stunned weathered seaman took one look at the large number of magical students and fainted dead away. Hermione, Ginny, and all of the other girls gasped in horror. Jack just shrugged it off.

"He'll be fine. Yeh have ta excuse him…the fella is extremely superstitious. Perhaps I coulda broken the news about yer 'talents' ta him a bit more gently."

"Good going, Jack," Ginny castigated the pirate, who winced. "Scaring the poor man half to death like that." Jack smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, luv."

Jack decided to head off her temper by offering her and everyone else a tour of the ship. They toured the galley where the cook had started preparing lunch, they saw the hold where the treasure was stored, and they took a peek in Jack's cabin which he shared with Will. Hermione noticed that Jack's side of the room was a filthy mess with empty rum bottles strewn all over the floor, whereas Will's side was reasonably neat and clean. Finally they returned to the top deck where the crew had assembled.

"Captain!" one of the crewmembers cried. "You got out of jail! How did you manage it?" Jack nodded proudly.

"Well it wasn't easy, mate." But then he took one look at Ginny and decided that the truth would serve him better than telling a long elaborate fabricated tale. He motioned to Ginny and Hermione.

"Actually, these two young strumpets (Ginny gave him the evil eye and he hastily recovered) "these fine young witches used their magic ta free me and Will."

"Can you really do magic?" asked an awed Anamaria. Hermione and Ginny nodded. The rest of the D.A. decided just to let them handle it and stayed silent. "Well then turn him in a toad." She pointed at Jack who gave them a pained look.

"Now, see here girls, she was just making a joke…"

"Gladly," Ginny answered, and swished her wand. Right before the crew's very eyes, Ginny transfigured their captain into an ugly horny toad.

"Croak!" said Jack the toad, trying to hop away. But Anamaria was too fast for him, and picked him up by the legs. The frightened toad tried to jump out of her hands but she wouldn't let go. Will was doubled over in laughter, seeing the normally brave Jack wimping out in front of the entire crew.

"Alright, I guess you can change him back now," Anamaria reluctantly told Ginny. She set the toad on the deck and Ginny promptly changed him back into Jack.

"Are yeh bloody insane woman!" Jack yelled at Ginny. "Don't yeh ever do tha' ta me again!" Ginny giggled.

"But you were such a good little toad." After being on the receiving end of Jack's icy glare, she relented. "Alright, I promise not to change you into anything else without your permission."

"Good. Now then, let's make the introductions, shall we?" Jack introduced the crew to the members of the D.A. Already the Weasley twins fit right in with the crew, who had invited them to stay in Tortuga with them at night. Thankfully, the crew didn't mind going into town at night and giving up their sleeping quarters to the D.A. members once Jack assured them that their stay would only be temporary.

"Hey, when do we get to start training?" asked Ernie, flexing his muscles. Hiding a smile, Harry replied,

"Right now if you want. I mean, is that what everyone wants to do?" All of the D.A. gave a unanimous 'yes'. Jack ordered the crew to leave the ship so the D.A. could have more room to practice, and the Weasley twins went with them.

"Everyone find a dueling partner," Harry instructed. "We're going to work on refining our shield charms today. They can't repel an 'Adava Kedavra', but they will stop any other enemy spell that comes your way."

The young witches and wizards excitedly paired off, pulled out their wands, and began practicing the spell. Harry and his assistants Ron, Ginny, and Hermione would walk between the pairs and give suggestions and encouragement. Neville, Terry Boot, and Hannah Abbott in particular were performing especially well – Hermione thought their terrible personal experience with the Dark Side were great motivators. All too soon the ship's bell rang, signaling that it was time for lunch.

As they were famished from their training session, the D.A. stampeded into the galley and crammed into the pic-nic style tables. Jack and Will sat across from Ginny and Hermione, and Harry and Ron sat a little farther down. The cook brought out a simple lunch of bread, cheese, and apples and the witches and wizards dug in as if it were up to par with Hogwarts food. The D.A. members made the most of their time sitting with their friends from other houses. _This must be an example of the interhouse cooperation that the sorting hat was talking about. _Hermione was glad that their plan was working out well. She and Will left the galley as soon as they finished eating so they could spend some time alone in the crow's nest. Ginny decided to spend some time with Parvati as she knew Jack needed to get back into the rhythm of running his ship. Ron and Jack were the only ones still scarfing down third helpings of lunch. Soon the rest of the D.A. had filed out of the galley, leaving Ron alone with the pirate captain.

"Jack, can I talk to you for a moment?" Ron timidly asked the pirate.

"Sure, mate!" Jack took one last bite of his apple and wiped off his mouth. "What's on yer mind?"

"It's Hermione," Ron said wistfully. "I can't stop thinking about her. But she won't give me a second look now that she's with _Will_. Not that I'm jealous or anything…" he trailed off and Jack gave a huge unnecessary snort. "But there's no way I can compete with him. I mean, Will is an effing _pirate_, he's older than me, he's better looking than me, hell he's probably had more experience with women…"

"Woah, slow down," said Jack. "The whelp, experienced? Yeh've got ta be kidding." Jack let out a huge guffaw and Ron had to wait for him to stop laughing before he could talk again. "Just between yeh an' me, lad, I seriously doubt tha' Will's had much more experience than you. Before he met Hermione, he'd only had one girlfriend - ever. An' he'd been in love with her fer practically his whole life." Ron gasped in astonishment.

"Wow…does Hermione know about her?" Jack shrugged his shoulders.

"Who knows? I doubt it matters…she's long gone. But look on the bright side, mate. Yeh won't be here forever; meaning tha' Hermione will return ta her time with yeh an' Will shall stay here. This leaves yeh with the opportunity ta pursue yer bonny lass."

"I dunno, Jack. I doubt that she likes me as more than a friend." He sadly looked down at his plate.

"Look mate, have yeh told her how yeh feel about her?" Ron sighed and shook his head no. "Then how do yeh know tha' she doesn't like yeh?" Ron remained silent, and Jack pressed on. "If yeh don't do it soon, yeh'll regret it fer the rest o' yer life. I can guarantee tha'."

"You think so?"

"I know so," Jack said grimly. "But yeh need ta do it soon, mate." Suddenly Ron looked fearful.

"But what if she rejects me? Our friendship will never be the same again." Jack shrugged.

"That's the risk yer gonna have ta take. It's up ta yeh lad what yeh want ta do." Ron nodded.

"Thanks Jack. I'll think about it."

"No problem." Jack stood up to go inspect his ship right down to the bilges but Ron spoke again.

"You'd better not hurt my sister," Ron warned the pirate.

"I have no intention of doing so," he said, in all seriousness. "But believe me, Ginny knows that I belong in my time, and she in hers. And tell yer mate Harry that I'll put in a good word for him." He winked at the red-haired boy and Ron wondered in amazement how Jack could've known about his best friend's crush on his sister. Perhaps the pirate was more perceptive that he thought. Jack gave Ron one of his infamous grins and without another word, left the youngest Weasley boy alone with his thoughts.

For the next couple weeks, the D.A. trained hard as Harry taught them many defensive spells as well as curses so that if they ever had to fight against the Death Eaters, they'd be well prepared. Everything was going well until one day Will wouldn't come out of his cabin. He refused to see anyone, even Hermione. But she wouldn't stand for it. The young witch marched right in to his cabin. The sight of Will worried her…he hadn't shaved, his chocolate hair was in tangles, and he was still in his bedclothes.

"Will, what's wrong?" Hermione was more than a little concerned about Will. He sighed, and sullenly muttered,

"You wouldn't want to hear about it." Hermione gently rubbed his back.

"Try me. I care about you, remember?" Will gave in.

"Well, here it goes. My first and only girlfriend Elizabeth and I were going to be married three months ago from today. I was blissfully happy, as I'd loved her ever since I was twelve. But the day before the wedding," his eyes narrowed, "when I visited her at her father's home, she acted distant and cold towards me. When I asked her what was wrong, she told me that she couldn't keep pretending – she didn't love me and she never did." Hermione gasped in horror, and Will waited a moment before continuing his tragic tale.

"As I stood there in shock, she explained that she couldn't go through with the marriage and that she and her father would be sailing for England on the morrow. Just before she turned to go, we locked eyes for the last time. Her eyes reflected the same pain and anguish that were in mine, but I knew she only pitied me. How I could not have seen through her act still haunts me, three months later."

"I'm so sorry, Will," Hermione said, gently squeezing his hand. _How could any decent woman hurt this sweet, devoted man? There's something not quite right about all this._

Will looked away from the young witch. But she saw the tears in his eyes that he was trying to conceal.

"There's more. Yesterday, I received this letter from her. It is dated a month ago." He read the sad letter aloud to Hermione.

_March 14, 1705_

_Dearest Will,_

_I pray that this letter finds you safe. My maid was able to sneak out and deliver this letter to someone who might know where Jack is – I'm assuming you fled to the Black Pearl. There is no easy way for me to say this, but when I told you that I never loved you, it was all a terrible lie. My love and devotion to you has never faltered; it broke my heart to say those words to you just one day before our wedding. But please understand that I said them to save your life - Commodore Norrington and his men were waiting outside the room to kill you if I hadn't convinced you that I didn't love you. _

_I've been forced against my will to return to England, and my father has been forced to appoint Norrington as the new governor of Port Royal. Oh William, how I miss you! Please, I beg of you, find away to rescue me from this horrible man's clutches. I'm not sure where I'm being held, other than I know it's somewhere in London. Hurry, Will! The Commodore keeps hinting that he's going to make me marry him. He would've done it already but I think he wants to wait for me to warm up to him; he'll be waiting a long time. I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me. Every day I wish that I could see you again and feel your tender embrace. I'll always be yours, sweet William. _

_All my love,_

_your Elizabeth_

Will shook his head bitterly. "All this time, she's been held captive by Commodore Norrington – and I was stupid enough to believe her when she told me that she didn't love me anymore. By this time he may have already forced her to marry him, and I wasn't there to prevent it."

"Will, you didn't know! It's not your fault," Hermione tried to reassure him, but he would have none of it.

"I should've realized that she was lying. If only I hadn't had so many doubts that she'd ever love a common man like me…" He turned away from Hermione, and buried his head in his hands.

Hermione could not bear to see Will in such pain. Since the beginning of their relationship, Hermione knew that she and Will belonged in different centuries and that they couldn't stay together. She was just thankful for the wonderful time that they had spent together. She had to help him find Elizabeth and get her back, even if it meant losing Will to her.

End Ch. 14


	15. Hello Norrington!

Disclaimer: Hermione, Ginny and the other HP characters belong to JKR, not me. Jack and Will from PotC belong to Disney.

SenatorSolo: Haha…yes it would be super hard to do the selfless thing and give up Will. I'm not sure if I could do it…I hope I would though. He truly loves Elizabeth. As for Kingdom of Heaven, I'm glad you finally saw it and more importantly liked it. Now you can read my story and not be confused! You're welcome for 21 Jumpstreet.

Chocolatrouxluv: Jack the horny toad. Only you and I. Hehe! ;) Thanks for reading this and those select chapters from my KoH story! I love our favorite word that starts with dubya and ends with anchor.

Mae-E: Haha, another person who liked Jack-the-toad. Great suggestion about using magic to save Elizabeth; I'll see what I can do.

Inwepirate-Elf: Thanks for that awesome review! I'm glad you liked the convo between Jack and Ron…I just thought that was really important for Ron to ask somebody about his feelings for Hermione and figured Jack could be the one. Haha…yeah – you taking Will would REALLY solve the problem. (sarcasm) But that's okay, I know how you feel. I'd like him all to myself too:D

Avchocaholic: If you're happy, then I'm happy. Keep reading!

Shero003: Thanks for the review!

TheGryffindorDrummer: I'll say it again, it's not a Harry/Hermione! Other than the filter (which I changed to just Hermione) I haven't given any indication of those characters liking each other at all. I only put Harry on the filter cause the story is also about him and the fight with Voldie.

Tears-That-Fall: You must've been in a silly mood when you wrote that! Haha, Eminem songs and lame jokes made my day. I'm glad you liked it, especially the Snape parts.

Sancontoa: Yes, Will and Hermione do make a great pair. But they are from different times so that would be hard…I know it's so sad about poor Liz being locked up by the Commodore. (I realize that's OOC for Norrington though.) Thanks for the nice review!

PureAngel86: Ron and Hermione? Hmm, you'll just have to stay tuned to see!

WillsOneLove: Merci beaucoup! That was an 'indescriable' review. ;) Wasn't that awful that she was made to tell Will she didn't love him right before their wedding day! I did try to put a little bit of everything into that last chapter. Yes, Elizabeth's letter does complicate things a bit but now they've got to go and save her. So read on!

LegoLover: Wow, not only did I get to meet Bob the invisible squid, but I got to meet the other you. I'm honored! Well here's another chapter so you can go ahead and give Jack his rum now. The whole smelly pirate thing is confirmed by Hermione in the next chapter so keep reading!

Smithy: I think you'll like how Hermione handles the Will/Liz situation.

Ch. 15: Hello Norrington!

Previously, on Hermione and the Daydream Charm:

_Hermione could not bear to see Will in such pain. Since the beginning of their relationship, Hermione knew that she and Will belonged in different centuries and that they couldn't stay together. She was just thankful for the wonderful time that they had spent together. She had to help him find Elizabeth and get her back, even if it meant losing Will to her._

Thinking hard, the young witch formulated a plan, deciding that if Will didn't act now, it might be too late for him and his faithful love, Elizabeth. After giving him a moment, Hermione came up behind the distressed pirate and gave him a gentle squeeze.

"Will, then there is just one thing that you can do when faced with a situation like this," Hermione informed him, drawing him out of his self-pitying reverie.

"Oh yeah?" Will muttered listlessly, gazing out at the horizon. "And what might that be?"

"Why you go and rescue Elizabeth of course!" Hermione suggested lightly.

"Ha!" Will scoffed. "And how do you propose I do that? I have no idea where she's being kept other than what she told me in the letter. And who knows; by now she may not even be in London anymore."

"But at least it's a start," Hermione reminded him. "We can start searching there and ask if anyone has seen Elizabeth, her father, or this Commodore Norrington character." He shook his head despondently.

"I don't know…I doubt Jack would want to sail all the way to London on the chance that Elizabeth might want to take me back." He exhaled loudly, running his fingers through his tangled windblown mane. "What if I'm too late and she's already married that bastard? I don't think I could ever forgive myself."

"You have to try, Will," she said, gently while rubbing his shoulders. He smiled sadly at her. "If you don't, you'll regret it for the rest of your life." He sighed.

"I guess you are right. You know what, I think I'll go tell Jack we need to set a new course," he told her, his features shining with a new determination. Hermione grinned.

"That's the spirit! But why don't you let me convince Jack – and you go clean up." She wrinkled her nose and Will gave a small chuckle.

"I suppose I should bathe…"

"And shave, and comb your hair," Hermione finished. "Jack Sparrow you are not." This time Will really did laugh. _I'm going to miss that laugh,_ Hermione thought sadly as she turned to find Jack.

"Hermione, wait!" Will called after her.

"Hmm?" she asked, coming back so they could talk some more.

"I…uh…are you sure you're alright with this? I don't want to hurt you if indeed Elizabeth and I do get back together. Really, I promise you weren't some substitute for her, it's just that…"

"Will, you don't need to explain anything," she reassured him. "I belong in the wizarding world, and you belong here, in this century. You're a pirate, and I'm a witch, who eventually has to return to her world to fight a war against one of the darkest wizards of all time. This has been wonderful, but it never could've gone any further. And I knew that from the beginning." Shaking his head in amazement, Will took Hermione's hands in his own.

"Hermione, you are one of the most mature people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. I had probably the most fun with you in these past few months than I ever have growing up. I'll always be grateful to you for saving my life in the storm not to long ago, and I'll never forget the time that you and I, along with Jack and Ginny, crashed that upscale party." She had to grin at that funny memory.

"Look back on the time we've spent together with fondness; that's all I ask of you," she said, running her fingers through his hair.

"I shall," he murmured. "I don't regret a single moment of it." He pulled her close and tenderly pressed his soft lips to her forehead. "Thank you for being there for me when I needed someone the most, and for unselfishly letting me go."

"Likewise," Hermione quietly echoed as he pulled her close. When he finally released her, she somehow found her voice. "I'd better find Jack," she told him, still a bit choked up. He nodded, and they went their separate ways. _The bittersweet moment was finally over_, Hermione thought, relieved that their 'break up' had gone as well as it could.

After searching below decks, Hermione found Captain Sparrow at his usual post, at the ship's wheel. _Now why didn't I look there in the first place! _As usual he was quietly humming the pirate song. His left hand steered the ship while his right clutched a small bottle of rum. (A/N: I just made Jack lefthanded!) The captain of the _Black Pearl_ grinned when he saw her approaching.

"Hermione, wha' can I do fer ya, luv?" She shook her head disapprovingly at him, although she was smiling.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to drink and drive, Jack?" His brow furrowed and his lips formed to make the most adorable pout.

"Wha'd you mean by that?"

"Nothing," she responded vaguely, giggling to herself. Luckily there were no other ships around as far as she could see, so it was alright if the slightly inebriated pirate was steering the ship.

"Did yeh come up here ta mock the captain or is there somethin tha' yeh need?"

"Well, I just came to talk to you about why Will is so upset." She told him the whole ugly story, about Elizabeth's letter, Will's guilt, and his wish to rescue her. For a few moments, Jack was silent – a rare occurrence for him. He was reflecting on what she'd just told him.

"I can't believe the eunuch sent yeh ta ask me if we could sail fer London. Why couldn't he have asked me himself?"

"For the last time, Jack," Hermione irritably defended Will, "he's not a bloody eunuch!" Jack was quite taken aback by her forcefulness. Then he gave her his infamous Sparrow smirk.

"An' yeh know this by experience?"

"No!" she said furiously, a faint blush creeping up across her cheeks. Jack decided that it'd be in his best interest to drop the subject.

"I'll have ta check with Gibbs before I change our course. But I suppose it'd be alrigh' with me…" Hermione didn't let him finish before she threw her arms around him in jubilation. She knew that Jack had total authority over the ship, and checking with Gibbs was merely a formality, a way of informing them what was going on. At first Jack was taken aback by her affectionate reaction, but then looked pleased.

"If I knew I'd always be guaranteed such a reaction, I'd have ta agree to women's propositions more often," he teased.

"Thanks for understanding, Jack," Hermione said seriously. "I know how much this means to Will – he would've asked you himself, but I told him to go ahead and bathe and clean up."

"Ah," Jack nodded at her, wrinkling his nose. "I never did like bathing meself. Yeh can tell Will tha' I'm setting the course fer England as we speak, and tha' I'll announce the change o' plans at suppertime. Oh and also tell him that when he gets up her his first duty is to swab the deck."

"I'll do that." Jack nodded at her, and then Hermione went below decks to inform Will of the new plan.

Soon after their chat, Jack was faced with more company. Harry had allowed the D.A. members to sleep in, but by now they'd awakened, eaten their breakfast, and currently were practicing their magic on deck. Jack found watching them a welcome distraction from staring at the horizon all day. It was all very interesting really – at first the captain didn't believe that the group could learn from a sixteen year old boy, but did Harry ever prove him wrong.

"Today we are going to begin working with alternative defenses," Harry shouted loudly to be heard over the crash of the waves and the wind. "Find your partner and pair up – we shall be learning how to modify memories. The spell that you need to use is 'Obliviate', and it can be performed to various degrees." His 'students' began to chatter excitedly, for this was magic that they hadn't been allowed to do at Hogwarts. Luna Lovegood, who was still wearing her radish earrings, raised her hand. Harry nodded at the blonde.

"Yes, Luna?"

"But Harry, I thought that once someone's memory has been obliviated, they won't remember anything at all. How can we practice on each other?"

"Good question," said Harry. "That's true, although some powerful wizards can break through obliviated memories. But it actually depends on the intensity of the charm to determine the amount of memory lapse. For example, say I used a weak memory charm on Neville – he would forget what happened for that day and the previous at most. Now I've had practice with this sort of thing, but even so I do not wish for your memories to be damaged in any way. So instead of practicing on ourselves, I had the crew provide us with rats to practice on." He held up a cage that held about twenty squirming rats. "Each group gets one rat to share." Ginny and Ron helped him distribute the rodents to each of the groups.

"How can we tell if our memory charms worked?" Ernie blurted out, once he'd received his rat.

"The animal will begin to act confused, and run in circles and such," Harry patiently explained. "Unusual behavior is a dead giveaway that shows the spell has worked." The D.A. wasted no time and started obliviating at once. Ginny, Harry, and Ron walked among the groups to check on their progress.

"I did it!" yelled Terry Boot, who paired with Parvati. Their rat was rolling around on the floor, seemingly trying to perform somersaults.

"Excellent," Harry congratulated them, and then he modified the poor rat's memory back to normal.

All throughout the morning and afternoon, the D.A. trained, stopping only for a quick lunch. Will and Hermione joined them on deck after lunch just when Harry had switched to reviewing hexes. To Jack's surprise, Will's mood had completely turned around; apparently he was feeling optimistic about his chances about finding Elizabeth.

"Glad to see you're feeling better, mate," Jack said in a low voice when Will and Hermione came over to the wheel.

"Thanks," Will answered. "I wouldn't be feeling better if you hadn't agreed to help me rescue Elizabeth." Jack shrugged.

"Well, I figured yeh wouldn't leave me alone 'til we changed course so I decided ta save meself the agony an' just give in righ' away." Hermione knew that Jack was doing his best to sound indifferent, but she could tell that the pirate captain really cared for Will's well-being.

"Jack, have you been up here steering all this time?" Hermione asked him.

"Yeah," he admitted, sheepish.

"You should stop and get some lunch," worried Ginny, who'd overheard them and came over to join in. Beaming at her, Jack motioned for Ginny to come closer.

"Tha' sounds like a mighty fine idea, luv," he announced. "Anamaria!" he yelled for the only female pirate on the ship, who sauntered over.

"You called?" She answered sarcastically, glaring at Ginny, or rather at Jack's arm wrapped possessively around Ginny's waist. Jack, not noticing her jealous looks, proceeded to ask Anamaria if she wouldn't mind taking the wheel for a bit while he went down to the galley to get a bite to eat.

"C'mon luv," he pleaded when Anamaria gave him the evil eye. "It wouldn't be for very long, just long enough for me to have some lunch…"

"And will _she _be going with you to help you eat your lunch hmm?" Anamaria's little comment got a rise out of Ginny, which is what she was going for, Hermione mused.

"What are you trying to say, Anamaria?" Snarled a red-faced Ginny through clenched teeth.

"Now, now ladies – there is no need to fight over me," quipped Jack, who since up until now had been quite amused by the whole situation. "There's plenty of Captain Jack Sparrow to go around…" Both girls turned around and glared at Jack and he quickly shut up.

"I'm trying to say that you are Jack Sparrow's flavor of the month…and that he'll go back to being mine as soon as you and your little magical friends are gone," a smirking Anamaria remarked with satisfaction.

"Why you little _strumpet_…I ought to hex you for that!" Ginny reached for her wand but Jack was faster.

"I don't think you want to be doing that, luv," Jack told her apologetically.

"No, I really think I do," she fumed.

"Ginny, you know you can't use magic on the muggles!" Hermione reminded her.

"Fine – I don't need magic…I can take her without it." Ginny and Anamaria squared off…and it looked like a catfight was about to begin – with Jack Sparrow as the prize. The entire D.A. stopped practicing and gathered around the girls to watch. But just before Ginny could make her move, a large 'boom' sounded and the boat lurched a bit to one side.

"Blimey! We've been hit!" yelled Gibbs, who'd remained on the ship that day.

"I've realized tha', but by what?" Jack asked frantically. His answer was floating a short distance away on the port side of the ship. Looming next to the _Black Pearl_ was the royal navy ship known as the _Dauntless_.

"We should surrender, Jack," Will said firmly. "Seeing as our crew is not here, we can't ask Hermione and Ginny's friends to fight for us."

"But Will, I can ask Harry…" Hermione protested, but he'd have none of it.

"No, Hermione. I don't want you to get hurt." The ever-protective Will turned to Jack, who as captain would have the final say.

"I hate to say it, but for once I actually agree with William. We shall surrender and then we'll let them capture us," Jack told them matter-of-factly.

"What? Are you bloody insane?" said Harry, who along with Ron had come to join in the conversation. "You actually want us to get captured by the royal navy, who are known for their strict policy against witches?" Jack rolled his eyes.

"Keep yer shirt on, kid. I've got a plan." Just like old times, Will squeezed Hermione's hand in reassurance as Jack ordered the white flag to be raised. It wasn't long before they were boarded by the royal navy and none other than Commodore Norrington himself.

End Ch. 15


	16. Rescue

Disclaimer: Hermione, Ginny and the other HP characters belong to JKR, not me. Jack and Will from PotC belong to Disney.

Mae-E: What a long review! Yes, I tried to soften the break up, because those are never fun. At least they parted on good terms. Hehe, catfights are fun. I don't want Harry to perform the Imperious Curse (where you can control people's actions) because that's illegal. But don't worry, I've got something even better in mind.

Legolover: You know, Jack dressing up like a woman and trying to woo the Commodore is not exactly what I had in mind, but it sure sounds funny! Thanks for the nice, long review. I'm glad Jack finally got his rum again. Yes, I'd rather Will love me as well! Will is just so loveable like that! Your other me is interesting. Have fun dreaming of dear William!

Inwepirate-Elf: Yes, the Commodore arriveth. Grrr on him indeed! But he's needed for the plot so I'm afraid I'll have to subject you to his incessant whining. The almost-catfight was rather amusing, wasn't it? I think Anamaria is jealous! I'm sorry about the break up, but that's how it had to be. They belong in different times; what can you do?

SenatorSolo: Yay, I'm glad you liked Jack being a lefty! Lefties unite! They are way cool people in my mind. :D Don't you worry, Jack's plan is a good one. Keep reading!

WillsOneLove: Wow, you sound pretty excited, lol! Yet another person who liked the 'catfight'. I'm glad that you liked it – I aim to please. ;) You'll just have to see what Anamaria meant by that statement…perhaps she and Jack have a history? Thanks for the extra long review – you're spoiling me!

Pureangel86: Well, seeing as I'm not JKR, I don't know why she wrote about pirate daydream charms. Somehow I doubt it was because she thought someone would take that idea and expand upon it, lol. That would be funny though. Thanks for reviewing.

Smithy: It's too bad you're not a HP fan, cause we're a lot of fun! But I'm glad that you can enjoy this for what it is. That means a lot.

BlacknessAngel: Yes, they are in 6th year. I'm glad that you discovered my story! It gets funnier as you read on, I guarantee it!

Chocolatrouxluv: Aren't double entendres the best? Thanks for the review…I hope your story is coming together. Bad writer's block, bad!

Kerowyn882: Wow, really? Thanks! This would definitely be my ideal break-up scenario, lol. I just had to have them part as friends because the break-up wasn't either of their faults. Hmm, revenge on Norrie? Sounds good. I can do that for sure. Keep reading and reviewing!

Ch. 16: Rescued

Will, Jack, Gibbs, and Anamaria stood transfixed, watching as the royal navy boarded their beloved ship. Jack gripped the steering wheel in frustration, as if he never wanted to let go of his '_Pearl_'. Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Harry, and the rest of the D.A. looked on as one officer in a particularly puffy wig approached the captain.

"Commodore Norrington…it's so good ta see ya again," Jack greeted his archnemesis with his usual sarcastic charm that he saved only for him.

"Well well; if it isn't Jack Sparrow," deadpanned the Commodore. "I can't say I feel the same."

"That's Captain Jack Sparrow," Jack reminded him with a wink to Ginny. Norrington scoffed, adjusted his wig, and refused to call Jack by his proper title.

"My my – I was only going to charge you with piracy, which is bad enough. But now it looks like I can add kidnapping to the list of your grievances." He gestured at the members of the D.A. who just gave him confused stares.

"That's not true!" Hermione defended the pirates. "We're here because we want to be, and of our own free will." This got the Commodore's attention – for in his time, women never spoke their minds like Hermione just did. Norrington's eyes fell on the pretty girl who was clutching Will's hand.

"Mr. Turner," the commodore said darkly.

"Norrington," Will acknowledged, just as darkly.

"I see you are still hanging around with this riff-raff," Norrington commented, disapprovingly, pointing at Jack. Will ignored the jab at his friend.

"What have you done with Elizabeth!" Will asked forcefully. Norrington gave a terse chuckle.

"That doesn't concern you, Turner. She doesn't love you. The woman can't stand you, remember?"

"You're lying!" Will spat angrily. The young pirate took a few steps forward until he was standing directly in front of the Commodore.

"I received a letter from Elizabeth the other day; I know you're holding her against her will. She told me that only reason she called off the wedding was to save my life – apparently you and your men were waiting outside and if she hadn't broken up with me you would've killed me." Norrington raised his eyebrows at this; obviously he wasn't aware that Elizabeth was able to send letters.

"Now tell me, where is she!" Will threatened. He grabbed the naval officer by his collar and gave him his most menacing look. Needless to say, Norrington wasn't frightened in the least. He shook off Will and had his men clap him in irons along with Jack, Gibbs, and a very disgruntled Anamaria.

"Mr. Turner, I suggest that you forget all about Elizabeth…"

"I'm afraid I can't do that, _sir_," interrupted Will and glared at Norrington, who gave him a chilling smile. The naval officer yanked Will by his

"Oh, but I suggest that you do – because she is now my wife." A gasp went up among the members of the D.A. Hermione covered her mouth with her hand in horror.

"No! I don't believe you! You couldn't…she wouldn't," Will said in disbelief.

"How can I get it through your pretty head that a high-class woman like Elizabeth would rather have a man of status and a respectable occupation than a lowly blacksmith-turned-pirate like you?" Norrington smirked as he watched Will's face fall, apparently pleased with himself. "Now I will spend my life protecting her from the likes of you." Will shook his head sadly.

"She was never yours to protect." Will glared defiantly at Norrington, whose face was turning redder by the second.

"Not another word, Turner," Norrington screamed. Hermione could tell that the Commodore was being dishonest by his body language and his reactions to Will's accusations.

"Don't worry, Will, he's lying," Harry Potter stated quietly. "Elizabeth Swann doesn't want anything to do with you. In fact, she'd rather die than marry you." The boy-who-lived was not an accomplished Legimens for nothing. Norrington turned around and sneered at Harry.

"How would you know, boy?"

"Don't do anything stupid!" Jack called out.

"Because I was there – in your mind. I saw it all, how you kidnapped her, how she begged for you to let her go and return to Will, and how she rejected your marriage proposals time and again," Harry answered truthfully.

"Like that," Jack moaned. The Commodore narrowed his eyes at Harry.

"What do you mean by that, boy?" Hermione elbowed Harry, who finally understood his mistake and shut up. "

I don't think I mentioned her last name – how did you know it? Answer me!" Norrington roared, but Harry firmly refused. "How could you know that? It's impossible," he muttered. "Unless…you've been practicing witchcraft, the work of the devil?" Harry wisely remained silent.

"Aha!" Norrington crowed triumphantly. "You've refused to answer, which confirms your guiltiness. Men, clap the devil-worshipper in irons as well!" Two redcoats rushed forward with yet another set of handcuffs but before they could force them onto Harry, the entire D.A. pulled out their wands and pointed them at the men. Before Norrington's men knew what happened, Harry pulled out his own wand, and shouted instructions.

"Remember what we practiced this morning? On three: one…two…Obliviate!" Norrington's eyes slid out of focus, and his arms fell slack. Being an expert at this spell, Harry's memory charm was a particularly strong one.

Hermione aimed her wand at a particular nasty-looking redcoat, which hit home immediately. All around her, the young witches and wizards were hitting their marks.

"Obliviate!" yelled Ron, catching a low-ranking officer off guard.

"Stupefy!" Ginny cried, stunning Norrington's right hand man, Gillette. "Obliviate!" This went on until all of the navy men had their memories magically modified. The Commodore was the first to recover his senses.

"Where am I?" he asked the nearest person, who happened to be Jack Sparrow.

"Welcome ta the Black Pearl, mate!" Jack exclaimed. "Yeh're standing on the finest pirate ship tha' ever sailed."

"Am I a pirate?" asked a puzzled Norrington.

"Of course ye are, mate!" Jack told him brightly. "Yer only the most feared pirate who sails the seven seas!" Jack then gestured to Norrington's men, who were still looking bewildered. "And yeh're all his buccaneer crew!"

"But why am I wearing this naval uniform?" Norrington questioned the captain. "I thought pirates wore casual garb, like what you're wearing. Are you a pirate too?"

"I am," Jack solemnly answered him. "My name is Captain Jack Sparrow, an' yeh will address me wit' my real title at all times, savvy?" Norrington nodded vigorously.

"Aye aye, Captain." Jack smiled proudly.

"I've been waiting years for that," he told Ginny, who was shaking with silent laughter.

"Yeh see," Jack explained to Norrington, "Yeh masquerade as agents of the King's royal navy so that yeh can board other pirate ships and steal their loot. That's why yeh're wearing the uniform."

"Oh," Norrington replied, pretending to understand, when Hermione could tell that he was just as lost and confused as ever. "What's my pirate name then? I seem to be suffering from a bout of amnesia."

"Not to worry mate," Jack said, putting an arm around Norrington. "Yeh're known as the…the," he thought for a moment, "The Dread…Pirate…Norrie!" Hermione snorted with laughter but quickly turned it into a cough.

"The Dread Pirate Norrie," drawled the Commodore, trying it out. "I like it," he grinned at Jack, who was about to bust like a squishy tomato with laughter. "What am I famous for? Hoarding the most booty? Plundering the most towns in the Caribbean?"

"Actually," Jack began, "yeh're known for being this tough guy who commands the respect of pirates around the world…" Norrington puffed out his chest at this. "But what most of yeh're crews don't know is that yeh're famous for giving hugs to yeh're most trusted friends. You heard me right," he repeated as the Commodore frowned quizzically at him. "Hugging is what yeh do best."

"Really?" Jack nodded solemnly. "Are you my friend, then?" Norrington asked.

"Absolutely," Jack told him. "Friends don't turn in friends ta the authorities, remember tha'." The Dread Pirate Norrie nodded blankly.

Suddenly he rushed up and gave Jack a crushing bear hug. Trying to push him away and loosen the man's grip, Jack struggled to breathe.

"I must've been neglected as a child," the Dread Pirate Norrie sobbed into a terrified Jack Sparrow's shoulder. "Thanks for…sniff…telling me who I am. I never would've remembered without my good friend Captain Jack." Patting his back awkwardly, Jack hissed to Will,

"Do something!" Will nodded at his captain.

"Ah, Dread Pirate Norrie? Seeing as we are all friends of Jack's, could you order your crew to release us, please?"

"Men, release my friend," blubbered Norrington, resting his head on Jack's shoulder once more. Will, Anamaria, and Gibbs were soon set free to the delight of the D.A.

"Harry!" Will whispered. "See if you can find out where Norrington is holding Elizabeth." The boy-who-lived nodded, and started to delve into Norrington's subconscious mind.

"I can't get past the memory charm," he told them regretfully after a few minutes of trying. "Not while he's upset like this. He needs to be calm before I can try again."

"Jack!" Will hissed. "Calm him down!"

"Easy fer yeh to say, mate," he grumbled. "Yeh don't have the Dread Pirate Norrie sobbing all over yeh!" Norrington looked up at this.

"I'm sorry, Jack," he apologized. "I don't know what came over me."

"It's alright, mate. I have just the thing that might cure ya." Jack rummaged around in his coat and produced a large bottle of rum.

"Oooh! Rum!" yelled the Dread Pirate Norrie, grabbing the bottle out of Jack's hands. "My favorite! How did you know?"

"All pirates love rum, mate," Jack informed him with a grin. "We can't ever resist its lovely charms." Norrington uncorked the bottle and took a few gulps.

"Ah," he smiled, smacking his lips. "This is the best stuff ever."

"Isn't it?" Jack agreed. Will gave Jack the thumbs up sign, and Harry began to perform legimency on the relaxed Norrington.

"I can see Elizabeth in a large, white brick house," he whispered to Hermione, Ginny, and Ron after a couple minutes. By this time, Norrington and Jack had consumed large quantities of rum and Jack was teaching the Dread Pirate Norrie the words to the pirate song. Harry's eyes were screwed shut as he experienced the Commodore's memories.

"Norrington is saying goodbye to a distraught Elizabeth, he's leaving the house…he's locking the door, then he's getting in a carriage and they ride by the street name which is Bloomington Way." Harry's eyes flew open.

"That's it! We've got it!" he cried happily.

"You've found Elizabeth!" Will asked, not daring to believe him. "You're positive?"

"Yes," beamed Harry. "All we have to do is get to London, find Bloomington Way, and I can point you to the right house." Will was speechless for a moment. Then he remembered his manners.

"Thank you so much, Harry," he quietly told the boy wizard. Hermione was the only one who noticed the tears glistening in his chocolate brown eyes. "I'll forever be in your debt…I only hope we're not too late. Is she being treated well?" Harry did his best to eliminate the worried pirate's fears.

"I'm sure she's fine. Norrington left her food and water in the room, and she's got a bed and everything. She's just upset that she's being held against her will, that's all." Will gave a sigh of relief.

"Jack!" Will called out to his captain, who was now dancing and singing the pirate song with the Dread Pirate Norrie. "How far are we from England?"

"Only a few hours or so," Jack called back before taking another swig of his precious rum. He passed the bottle to Norrington, who drained it and then promptly passed out. Jack stashed the Commodore in a corner, and then joined the others.

"Did yeh find out where he's 'olding her?" Will nodded eagerly.

"We know the street, and Harry can point out the house." Jack grinned at Harry, who hesitantly grinned back.

"Well done, mate!" he cheered the young wizard. "Now all we can do is wait."

The next few hours were uneventful, and Jack was able to dock the _Black Pearl_ at Southampton without any trouble. After promising Gibbs, Anamaria, and the D.A. to return as soon as they could, Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Ginny joined Jack and Will in a carriage that would take them to London. When they finally arrived in the capital city, the sun had long since dipped below the horizon.

"Where to?" asked the coachman.

"Bloomington Way," Will told him confidently, staring out the window as if he might already see Elizabeth's house that was serving as a prison. The coachman flicked the reigns and the horse plodded down the cobblestone lanes. Nervously, Will began rubbing his goatee and didn't quit until the coach lurched to a stop.

"Here we are, Bloomington Way," announced the coachman. "Should I keep going?"

"Uh, you'd better let us out here," Harry told him. Shrugging, the coachman got up and opened the doors for them.

"Shall I wait for you, then?" Will nodded.

"We should return shortly. Thank you." Jack was the last one to step out of the carriage and into the black of night. After they moved forward a ways, the pirate captain prompted,

"How are we ta see which house she's in?" Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione pulled out their wands.

"Lumos!" they cried softly in unison. Light ignited from the tip of their wands, illuminating the path in front of them. As they walked along the street, Harry shined his wand on each of the houses. So far none of them matched his description in Norrington's memory.

"Are you sure we're on the right street, Harry?" Ron asked as they neared the end of the cul de sac. "We should've found the house by now!"

"Of course he's sure, Ronald!" snapped Hermione. "We haven't seen all the houses yet; why must you be so impatient.."

"Stop bickering, you two," Harry warned. "Give me a chance, I…" He stopped mid-sentence.

"I found it!" Pointing his wand at the three story white house to their left, Harry confirmed to the group that it was indeed the house in Norrington's memory.

"Let's go!" Harry urged. Without any further ado, Will sprinted toward the front door with Hermione and the rest of the group right behind him.

"Damn, it's locked," he swore frustratedly as he jiggled the handle.

"Oh, move over!" Hermione commanded. She aimed her wand at the door lock.

"Alohamora!" The lock clattered to the ground and the door swung open by magic. Will dashed inside and the others followed.

"Do you know which room she's being held in?" he asked Harry, frantically, who shook his head.

"I'm not sure, but I'd have to guess it's a bedroom. Without another word, Will sprinted up the stairs and tried all the doors to the rooms. When he couldn't find one that was locked, Will moved on to the third floor, the others trailing behind them, their wands at the ready. At the very end of the hall, Will tried to open the last door. It was locked.

"Alohamora," Ginny whispered, and the lock fell off. Will threw open the door only to be bonked on the head by a candlestick.

"Ow!" he yelled, clearly in pain.

"Will!" a new female voice called out in the dim light. "Is it really you?"

"Elizabeth!" Will said disbelievingly, rubbing his forehead.

"Oh Will," breathed the blonde, her golden hair reflecting in the wand light. "I'm so sorry, did I hurt you? I thought you were Norrington!"

"I'll live," he told her. "Besides, I deserved it for believing you and not coming to rescue you sooner. Can you forgive me?" She held out her arms and Will ran into them.

"There's nothing to forgive," Elizabeth reassured him, shaking in his arms. "I just had to be convincing that day so that they wouldn't kill you. That would've been awful!" She began to cry softly into Will's shoulder. "I love you so much!"

"Shh, don't cry. I've never stopped loving you, Elizabeth. We're both safe now," he told her and the newly reunited lovers held each other.

"You should talk, Will," she laughed through her tears as she wiped away a few tears from Will's cheeks.

"I'm just so happy that you're alright," he admitted. "He didn't hurt you did he?" Will narrowed his eyes. "If he did, I'll murder him!"

"No, I've been treated well," Elizabeth assured him. "The only thing that tortured me was knowing that I'd broken your heart just days before our wedding!" She began to shake again.

"Sweetheart, it's alright. I understand why you did it," Will soothed, rubbing her back comfortingly. "Norrington told me that he'd married you –"

"He tried," Elizabeth admitted. "Every night he proposed, and every night I gave him the same answer – no way in hell!" At this Will laughed, his adorable rich laugh that made Hermione's stomach churn a bit as she watched him with his true love. As much as she wished that she could be with Will, Hermione knew that these two were made for each other.

"William, my boy! Thank heavens you've come." An elderly rotund man dressed in finery and sporting a large wig ambled out of the room behind Elizabeth.

"Governor Swann, it's good to see you," said Will politely.

"I'm so glad you're here; my daughter has prayed every day and night that you'd return to her. You have my blessing if you still wish to marry her."

"Thank you," Will said quietly. He then turned to his love.

"Well, now that I know that you still love me, is the wedding still on?" he asked Elizabeth anxiously.

"Oh, yes, Will! Yes!" Elizabeth laughingly told him and he spun her around in his arms. They shared a long kiss, and Ginny and Hermione shared a grin. Harry and Ron were uncomfortably watching the scene unfold while Jack was just grinning proudly, glad that his best friend had found his love again.

"You don't know how much I've missed you 'Liz," Will murmured. "Those last months would've been unbearable if not for my new friends." He gestured to the four Hogwarts students who were staring at Elizabeth curiously.

"I'd like for you to meet Miss Hermione Granger, who convinced me that it wasn't too late for me to come and rescue you."

"It's very good to meet you, Hermione," Elizabeth beamed as she shook her hand warmly. "Thank you for taking care of my Will – he can be a handful at times." Hermione grinned.

"It was my pleasure." Will continued to make introductions.

"And this is Ginny and Ron Weasley, and Harry Potter." Elizabeth shook their hands in turn.

"How ever did you find me?" Harry opened his mouth to speak but Jack cut him off.

"I hate to interrupt, but the carriage is waiting. I don't think it's wise for us to linger."

"Jack!" Elizabeth cried, and gave him a big hug. Jack looked pleased, especially when she thanked him for looking after Will and giving him a place to stay.

"Let's go, dear," Will offered his arm and Elizabeth took it beaming. The couple descended down the stairs and out of Norrington's house with the rest of the group right behind them. As they walked towards the waiting carriage, Will vowed,

"I swear to you; I shall find a way to make Norrington pay for all the pain he's caused us."

End ch. 16


	17. Return to Hogwarts

Disclaimer: Hermione, Ginny and the other HP characters belong to JKR, not me. Jack and Will from PotC belong to Disney.

Ch. 17:

"Where to, folks?" asked the driver, who didn't seem fazed by the sudden appearance of Elizabeth and her father. Jack and Will bent their heads in discussion, and after awhile came to a conclusion on their destination.

"Take us to the nearest inn in London," said Will. "And it you could, it'd be great if you'd pick us up tomorrow morning." The driver nodded and told them all to hop in.

"Will, my boy, I can't thank you enough for coming to our aid," said the Governor.

"It was nothing, sir," said Will. Bemusedly, Hermione noticed that the tips of his ears had turned red, much like Ron's did when he was embarrassed about something.

"I will be proud to call you my son-in-law; I couldn't have asked for a better man to marry my daughter." Will was speechless; never had Elizabeth's father openly approved of him so much.

"Thank you sir." Will shook his hand, grateful for his vote of confidence.

As the group crowded into the carriage, they realized that there weren't enough seats for everybody, since they picked up two additional passengers. Will solved that problem by offering to have Elizabeth sit on his lap. Smiling at her fiancee, Elizabeth accepted gratefully, and to Hermione's surprise, her father had no objections. Will sat in the window seat with Elizabeth, who sat next to Hermione, then Ron, then Harry, then Ginny. Jack and Governor Swann were the only ones who were still standing outside.

"Shotgun!" Jack crowed happily and yanked open the side door to the carriage.

"Jack!" Ginny hissed. "Don't you think it'd be polite to let Governor Swann ride up front?" Jack shook his head no, but then quailed under the doubly intense glares of Hermione and Ginny.

"Govna, why don't yeh take the front seat?" Jack held the door for the elderly man, who beamed at the disgruntled pirate.

"Why thank you, mister..." Weatherby Swann glanced back at Jack, not sure of his name.

"Sparrow," Jack supplied helpfully. The governor nodded blankly, Jack tightly shut the door, and then climbed in back next to Ginny. The carriage lurched forward and they were off. As soon as they started moving, Jack screeched,

"What's wrong with you two? I really wanted to stretch my legs..." Ginny and Hermione glanced at each other warily. Through eye communication, Ginny let Hermione explain this one.

"We thought that Elizabeth might want an explanation as to how we rescued her," said Hermione. "And it's probably best if her father wasn't privy to all the details." She motioned to the Governor who was amiably chatting with the driver, oblivious to their conversation due to the glass barrier.

"Oh," said Jack, knowingly. He stretched, yawned, and got comfortable. "Explain away."

Hermione then informed Elizabeth of the existance of witches and wizards, trying to keep her explanation as brief as possible. She told her how they'd used their magic to find her location, and to break into the house without causing any noticable damage. Luckily, Elizabeth took the news rather well, much better than Will had. Perhaps this was due to the fact that she had an extremely open mind for her time. After all, this was the woman who'd been facinated by pirates since an early age.

"So let me get this straight – you, Ginny, Ron, and Harry practice magic at school but you travelled through time to come here because you're escaping from a Dark Wizard?" Elizabeth asked, all the while leaning back on Will, who had his arms wrapped around her. The now content blacksmith-turned-pirate seemed to never want to let her go. Hermione smiled at this open display of affection; after seeing them together, she finally acceptied that this was who Will was meant for. If he was happy, then she was happy.

"Well, you're partially right," Hermione admitted. "Harry needed a place to train some young wizards to fight against evil, a place where Voldemort would never find us. So we chose the _Black Pearl_. Jack was kind enough to let us use his ship." At this, Jack pointed to himself as if to say, 'that's me'. Elizabeth frowned in confusion.

"But what I don't understand is why here? Why now? How did you ever find Jack and Will in the first place?" Hermione went scarlet, and was saved from embarrassment when Ginny took up the story, explaining about the daydream charms. After Ginny finished, Hermione guiltily stared at the floor, afraid to look Elizabeth in the eye. But the Governor's daughter just grinned at her.

"Don't worry; I'm not angry with you, Hermione," she assured the young witch, who'd dared to look up. "Just the opposite; I'm forever grateful to you for keeping Will company during the time that I couldn't be with him." Exhausted from her ordeal, Elizabeth rested her head on Will's shoulder.

"As am I," said Will, smiling. Everyone was quiet after that, even Jack who seemed to be uncharacteristically tired. Captain Sparrow was yawning hugely by the time the carriage pulled in front of the inn. The drained group staggered their way through the entrance and up to the check-in counter.

"How may I help you?" the clerk asked. At this point, Jack's energy level had returned to it's normal heights.

"Captain Jack is back!" he announced, waving his arms around erratically. Will shushed him.

"Jack," he scolded. "Not so loud! People are trying to sleep." Will turned around to face the clerk and Jack made a rather rude gesture at his best friend.

"Welcome back, Mr. Sparrow," said the clerk, succeeding at keeping a straight face. "Do you want your usual accomadations?" Jack smirked and decided to poke a little more fun at his good friend Will.

"I don't know about me," he began, "but those two could definitely use a room," Jack told the clerk, pointing at Will and Elizabeth, still locked in each other's arms. Poor Will's face turned tomato red. But Elizabeth just grew angry.

"You're hilarious, Jack," Elizabeth told him, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Actually, if you must know, I'm going to sleep in Hermione and Ginny's room."

"Good night, Jack," Will said pointedly, glaring at him. Taking the hint, Jack strode off towards his room, muttering something about 'eunuchs'. The clerk was viewing this entire scene, struggling to keep his emotions in check.

"So how many rooms will that be, then?" he asked them. Harry had the presence of mind to answer decently.

"We'll take two. The boys will room with Jack, and the girls will have a room of their own." The clerk nodded, and gave Harry the bill and the keys. After bidding the clerk good night, Harry gave one of the keys to Ginny.

"Ron, we'd better go and let Jack in the room," he whispered, tugging on Ron's maroon Weasley sweater.

"Right," agreed Ron. "See you in the morning, everybody."

"We'll come with you," said Hermione, brightly and she and Ginny followed them down the hall. _I'll have to thank Harry tomorrow for having the presence of mind to let Elizabeth and Will have some time alone to say goodnight. _

Hermione and Ginny found their room with no trouble, and they conjured up a cot each so that Elizabeth could have a proper night's sleep in the bed. Moments later, Elizabeth joined them. As she entered the room, a serene smile graced her lovely features, and Hermione knew that she had only one thing on her mind.

"So how many days until the wedding?" Ginny teased, and this time Elizabeth really did blush.

"Will said that as soon as we return to Southampton to collect your friends, we can have it whenever I can find a church and a suitable church." She paused, her eyes shining.

"But then I told him that I didn't need any old fancy dress, and that I reminded him that we had someone with us who could perform the ceremony..."

"Jack!" said Hermione with disbelief. "But he's a pirate!" Elizabeth laughed.

"That's exactly what Will said. But he's still a captain, and as long as we could obtain a marriage certificate, I could be Mrs. Will Turner by tomorrow evening..." she trailed off and Ginny squealed with excitement.

"You should go for it, Elizabeth!"

"Really? You think so?" said the Governor's daughter hesitantly. "What if my father -"

"You can always have a second proper wedding in a church when you return to Port Royal if he has any objections," Hermione sensibly pointed out, and Elizabeth nodded slowly.

"You're right...I think I'll ask Jack tomorrow," she told the young witches breathlessly. "Can you believe it? I'm finally getting to marry Will," she stated dreamily. "I've waited for so long; when I was kidnapped, I'd thought never come for me." Then she turned to the girls worriedly, "You don't think Jack will mind performing the ceremony, do you?"

"Jack? Mind? Not possible," scoffed Ginny. "He'll be itching to celebrate afterwards and bust out his rum." Elizabeth had to agree with her there.

"Well, Elizabeth, you'll need your rest for tomorrow night," Hermione reminded her after a moment's silence. "We probably should go to bed now."

"Good idea," the bride-to-be murmured appovingly. "Well then, good night girls." Exhausted from their ordeal, the three girls fell asleep within moments.

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The next morning, the group awoke bright and early so they could meet the coachman on time. Right away, Elizabeth asked Jack if he wouldn't mind doing the honors of marrying her and Will and of course he happily agreed. It took her a little more courage to tell her father what she and Will had in mind, but thankfully he gave his consent, as long as they had a real wedding when they returned home. Once they'd all piled into the carriage (they let the Governor ride in front again) Hermione and Ginny broke the news to the boys about Will and Elizabeth's wedding that night.

"Congratulations," said Harry, shaking Will's hand.

"Yeah, that's really great," echoed Ron, doing the same.

Harry seemed quite happy for the couple, Hermione noted, whereas Ron was absolutely thrilled.

After much discussion with Jack, they all agreed to have the wedding on the deck of the Pearl at sunset. The lively group talked about wedding details all through the morning and afternoon until they reached Southampton at half past three.

"I'm starving!" moaned Ron as they entered the city limits. "Can we stop for some food, please?" Harry's stomach growled in agreement. Jack chuckled.

"I'm quite hungry meself, young Weasley. That's not a bad idea." Jack had the driver drop off Will, the Governor, and Elizabeth at the courthouse so they could obtain a marriage liscence while the rest of the group found a tavern.

"Don't load up too much now," Jack cautioned. "For we shall feast later on the _Pearl_." Ron obviously disregarded his warning, and filled up on red meat, bread, and cheese while the rest just had a light snack. Jack frowned at Ron's behavior until Ginny informed him that her brother's stomach was a bottomless pit. Hermione saved some food for Will and the Swanns, who arrived later.

"Any luck?" She needn't have asked; the glow on the happy couple's faces was enough of an answer.

"Well then, now that that's settled, let's return to me ship!" crowed Jack. They followed him down to the docks, struggling to keep up as the pirate raced to meet Gibbs and Anamaria. The remnants of the D.A also stood on the top deck to greet them.

"Jack! You're back!" cried Ana, who led him away from the main group.

"Indeed I am, luv," he told her, grinning. "And not without a couple more passengers." Gibbs was shaking Will's hand.

"Welcome back, Mr. Turner," Gibbs said gravely. "You arrived not a moment too soon. We've had a bit of trouble from..." He trailed off when he realized who was standing behind Will.

"Miss Elizabeth! And Governor Swann" he gasped. "You're alive – are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," said Elizabeth, glowing at her fiancee and grasping his hand tightly. "In fact, I couldn't be better." Gibbs had missed her display of affection.

"Will how ever did you manage it?" Will grinned and gestured to Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Ginny.

"With a lot of help from these four," he said proudly. Then he turned to his pirate friends.

"Ana, Gibbs; Elizabeth and I have an announcement to make..."

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the ship, Dean, Seamus, Parvati, and Terry Boot had their wands trained on Norrington, who sat with his arms tied in a corner, scowling up at them. Although his memory hadn't returned, the Dread Pirate Norrie didn't take to being held captive. As Jack and Ana approached the scene, Neville scurried forward to meet them.

"He tried to come after us during the night – we had to stun him a few times before he stopped trying to escape. We would've turned him over to the authorities, but your crew members said to wait until you returned." Jack nodded.

"Very good, young wizard." Then Jack unholstered his gun and turned his attention to Norrington.

"Let's go, Dread Pirate Norrie," commanded Jack, and Norrington reluctantly obeyed.

"Elizabeth, darling," Jack announced when they reached the other side of the ship, "There's someone I'd like yeh ta meet." Norrington came in to view, and Elizabeth instinctively recoiled in fear when she saw her kidnapper. She started to scream, but Will shushed her, holding her tight and promising that he'd never let him hurt her again.

"Now," began Jack in a deadly tone, "Apologize to Miss Swann for threatening to kill her fiancee and for kidnapping her."

"I don't remember kidnapping anyone," the former Commodore truthfully growled. Jack prodded him with his gun and Norrington changed his tune.

"Alright, I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" he cried. "Just give me my rum back...it's been forever since I last had a drink..."

"What's happened to him?" asked Elizabeth, hiding a smile after she realized she had nothing to fear from Norrington. "I didn't know that Navy officers were allowed to drink..." Will shook his head.

"They're not. Let's just say our magical friends have addled his brain and now he thinks he's someone else."

"What, he thinks he's Jack?" said Elizabeth without missing a beat.

"Hey, I resent that!" Captain Sparrow defended himself. "No, that wimp does not think he's me!" Jack shuddered at the thought. "Don't make me have nightmares, young missy!" he shook his finger at Elizabeth, who this time really did laugh.

"You! What's your name?" demanded Will, brandishing his sword at Norrington.

"I sir, am known as the Dread Pirate Norrie, the most fearsome pirate in all the spanish main!" Norrington frowned when instead of applause he received laughter. "What is wrong with you people? I thought you were supposed to be my friend, Jack! Friends don't tie each other up!" Jack shrugged, and said,

"Me, I'm dishonest," and left it at that. Will leaned over and whispered something in Jack's ear.

"Mr. Gibbs, please see to it that the Dread Pirate Norrie is turned over to the proper authorities," ordered Jack.

"Aye, Captain," Gibbs answered eagerly, ready to be rid of Norrington.

"Don't worry, Miss Elizabeth, I promise you that he'll be sentanced to jail for at least a year under charges of piracy and misuse of a Navy office." Taking Ron and Harry with him for extra protection, Gibbs led Norrington away, and everyone cheered.

"Excellent!" Jack cried happily. "Now we can prepare for departure, and after that, for the wedding!" Under his breath, he mumbled, 'drinks all around'. The pirates and the young witches and wizards readied the ship to leave, and in no time, Gibbs, Harry, and Ron returned. Indeed, Norrington was sent straight to jail.

"Raise the anchor!" Jack commanded, and they were off.

As soon as the winds carried them away from Southampton and the crew had secured the ship, Elizabeth and Will were to be married. Jack tried to clean up for the ceremony, but Hermione didn't see what good it did him to tame his dreadlocks...she was reminded of Hagrid when he had a date with Madame Maxime. But Ginny seemed to take to his new appearance. Given it was a simple ceremony, Will and Elizabeth just changed into clean clothes, which achieved the desired effect.

Governor Swann blubbered throughout the entire ceremony, much to Jack's dismay. He tried his best to ignore the father of the bride, and focus on marrying his friends instead. Elizabeth and Will had written their own vows, so it was a short, yet meaningful wedding. Hermione found that when Jack pronounced them husband and wife, her eyes glistened with tears. Thinking about her own wedding in the far future, she only hoped she'd be as lucky as Elizabeth.

"You may now kiss the bride!" Jack announced gleefully, and Will and his new wife shared the most passionate kiss Hermione had ever seen. Eventually, Jack had to clear his throat and the happy couple looked up guiltily. But Jack just smirked and yelled,

"Everyone; to the feast!" Not surprisingly, Ron was the first one to reach the tables that displayed all the food that'd been brought up from the Pearl's larder. Right behind him, Jack rushed to uncork the rum bottles.

"Cheers!" called Jack, clinking bottles with Gibbs, Ron, and Harry. Hermione stopped filling her plate to scold them.

"Boys! You're still under age – and you, Ronald, are a prefect!" Ron rolled his eyes.

"C'mon, Mione. It's just a bit of fun!" He and Harry hastily retreated to another table when they saw Ginny approaching, rum bottle in hand.

"Not you too!" Hermione groaned. Ginny patted her arm comfortingly.

"Look at it this way – in this time, there were no age restrictions so technically we're not doing anything wrong."

"Oh alright," she gave in grumpily. Ginny piled an extra helping of cake onto Hermione's plate.

"C'mon, Hermione, let's go watch Will and Elizabeth dance!" Apparently Gibbs played the fiddle, and played it quite well. Hermione and her friends were content to eat and watch the happy couple dance the night away in their own little world.

After Will and Elizabeth retreated belowdecks for the night (amist Jack's cat calls) Hermione and her friends joined in a lively jig. Suddenly, Gibbs switched to a mournful tune. Parvati and Terry Boot grabbed each other, and Neville found himself dancing with a dreamy Luna Lovegood. A red-faced Ron asked Hermione to be his partner and she laughingly agreed. During the slowdance, Hermione noticed over Ron's shoulder that Harry was quietly sulking in the shadows._ Poor Harry_, she thought as she watched him stare at Ginny merrily dancing with Jack. All too soon, the music stopped and after thanking her for the dance, Ron went to go talk to Harry. Completely exhausted from the days' events, Hermione found Ginny and they went below to get ready for bed.

The next few days, they sailed for Tortuga, as it was necessary to collect Fred and George, who were no doubt trying out their magical creations on unsuspecting muggle drunks. In no time, they reached the filthy port that was crawling with pirate scum. Ginny, Ron, Harry, and Hermione followed Jack's lead to the tavern where the crew was staying. There, Jack surmised, was where they'd likely find the Weasley twins. He was correct.

"Oi!" cried Fred and George in unison after seeing the wizarding bunch.

"You wouldn't believe..." Fred started.

"...how dense those muggles were," finished George. "We went through about five skiving snackboxes, two daydream charms..."

"...three packs of fireworks, and four bags of dungbombs," added Fred with a smirk. "And after playing pranks got old, we tried out some of our products in development. And we had a great success, didn't we George?"

"Right you are, Fred," answered his twin.

"I'm sure you did," grinned Ginny, giving her brothers both hugs.

"Well, we'd best get back to the ship," said George. "I dunno about you Fred, but I'm itching to return to Hogwarts and give Dumbledore a hand by trying out a few of these new tricks on the Death Eaters.

"I couldn't agree more," agreed Fred. Ron and Harry had some catching up to do with the twins so they ran on ahead with the crew. Hermione followed, but at a slower pace. Ginny hung back with Jack, who seemed to linger for some reason.

"Ginerva, luv," Jack began, "We need to talk. And I think you know what this is about." Ginny nodded.

"I didn't know you'd be leaving so soon, and I'm not one for long goodbyes, so..." Jack encased her in a bone-crushing hug.

"I'll miss you, Jack Sparrow," said Ginny, smiling through her tears. For once, Jack didn't correct her when she left off the 'Captain'.

"I'll never forget ya, luv. Our time spent together when you showed me around your school, it was," Jack struggled to think of a better word, "Amazin'. I'd never seen anything like it and I doubt I ever will. You're one-of-a-kind; my life wouldn't have been the same if you hadn't come into it." He gave her one last fierce kiss.

"Thanks, Jack," said Ginny, quietly. "You've been amazing, too. I wish I didn't have to go back so soon!" she sniffed into his shoulder.

"I know, luv," he soothed. "I know yeh don't wish ta return just yet, but yeh won't be alone for long, savvy? I've noticed tha' young Mister Potter has his eye on yeh." He gave Ginny a knowing glance. "May you always remember the time you spent with Captain Jack Sparrow." Ginny stood up, determined, and wiped her eyes.

"I shall," Ginny promised, and then the Pearl came into view. Needless to say, Ginny and Jack were rather subdued when they came aboard. Hermione, being a good best friend, noticed something was wrong right away.

"What's going on?" she whispered to her friend.

"I'll explain later," Ginny whispered back as Fred and George produced the time turner.

"Everbody, gather 'round!" yelled George. "Hold hands, and we'll have you back to Hogwarts in a jiffy. Hermione waved one last time to Will, who was watching quietly, his arm protectively around Elizabeth's waist. Earlier that morning, she'd said her final goodbyes to him. Although she'd miss Will and her newfound friends terribly, Hermione was more that ready to return to her own time so she could help the Order in their quest for a Voldemort-free Wizarding world. Fred wrenched the hourglass exactly three turns forward and Hermione felt her body spin through time. In no time at all, she'd landed with a soft 'thump' in the grass just outside Hogwarts grounds.

"Mr. Potter! Ms. Granger! Mr. and Ms. Weasley!" cried Professor McGonagall, sprinting towards them from the castle. "Is this all of you? Have you returned safely!" Harry did a quick head count and assured the head of Gryffindor house that indeed everyone had come back in one piece.

"Oh thank Merlin!" she exclaimed. "Albus! Albus, they're back!" Dumbledore came running not a moment later.

"Excellent!" he said, smiling. "Mister Potter, did you succeed in what you intended to use this time for?" Harry nodded, blushing at being addressed as the leader of the group.

"Yes, very much so. Everyone has advanced in their training, they've mastered all of the intermediate DADA spells that I taught them in such a short period of time." Dumbledore beamed at the group.

"Well that certainly is good news. Now, Mr. Potter, if you will kindly follow me, there is much to discuss. Minerva, would you bring our youngest members up to speed on what is happening in the order?" McGonagall nodded.

"I'll be glad to." Dumbledore and Harry headed for the headmaster's office while the rest of the students met with McGonagall in the Great Hall. She explained that there'd been another battle between the light and dark sides while they'd been away. Although the good side prevailed, they didn't win by much, and the battle didn't accomplish anything other than to cause unnecessary deaths.

"Although we killed four Death Eaters, we still lost Dedalus Diggle to those monsters. What a shame; he was such a nice fellow," she remembered. "And Dawlish is in intensive care at St. Mungo's although we think he'll pull through." Ron looked shocked, as those men worked in the Ministry with his father. Hermione and Ginny shared a dark look. Voldemort needed to be destroyed, and soon.

"That will be all – after a quick meal, you may return to your respective houses for the night," McGonagall instructed. Hermione and her friends ate in silence, each reflecting on the events of the day. They climbed the stairs to their dormitory and waited for Harry to come back. Ron half-heartedly suggested a game of exploding snap which they played since there was nothing else to do, but their minds weren't on the game. So when the portrait hole burst open, all three of them were quite startled.

"Harry! Good, it's you," said Ginny with relief.

"I just got back from my meeting with Dumbledore," Harry panted, having ran all the way up the stairs to Gryffindor Tower.

"And..." Ron prompted.

"I have loads to tell you!" Harry enthused. Quickly he explained why he, Dumbledore, or anyone for that matter couldn't just go up and kill Voldemort with the killing curse.

"He's split his soul, not just once but seven times and stored them in items that have particular value to him." No one spoke; they were rendered speechless by this pulse-quickening information. "These items that store his soul are called horcruxes," Harry supplied helpfully.

"Seven horcruxes!" whispered Hermione. Harry nodded glumly.

"Yes – it seems that Voldemort had a thing for the magical number seven." Ron turned white.

"Blimey, mate! You've got your work cut out for you."

"Oh Harry!" cried Ginny, and before she could stop herself, she launched herself into his arms. Although he looked quite startled, Hermione noticed that he seemed pleased.

"I'm scared for you!" Ginny sniffed, and Harry patted her head comfortingly. "It was bad enough that you have to destroy that monster, but now you must rid him of seven parts of his soul!" The redhead witch looked about ready to cry.

"The good news is that diary and the ring have already been destroyed," Harry told them quietly. "But that leaves the cup, the locket, the snake, and something of Gryffindor or Ravenclaw's."

"And the one that still resides in Voldemort," Hermione reminded them.

"Yeah, that one too," said Harry, tiredly. "But I can't worry about that one, or the snake until I find him."

"When are you going to start searching for these horcruxes, Harry?" asked Ron.

"Soon; Dumbledore said he had a hunch as to where one might be, in this cave not far from where Tom Riddle lived as a boy. But while we were gone, a storm came and destroyed the only known entrance, so I don't know what we're to do now." The boy-who-lived put his head in his hands, and Ginny rubbed his back

"But couldn't we look for the other horcruxes?" asked Hermione. Harry looked up and nodded at her.

"Dumbledore mentioned that we should contact Mundungus Fletcher -"

"That mangy bloke that was always stealing Sirius' stuff?" said Ron angrily. "What'd we want with him?"

"He's got connections, doesn't he?" asked Ginny, catching on.

"Dumbledore seems to think so," sighed Harry. "I only hope that when he nicked Sirius' valuables, he kept track of who he sold them to."

"Don't count on it," said Ron, darkly.

"Hang on," said Hermione, slowly. "Did you say one horcrux is a locket?" Harry nodded.

"Don't you remember, when we were cleaning out 12 Grimmauld Place, we found an old silver locket that was magically sealed shut? Perhaps that's the one we're looking for!"

"Hey, I'll bet you're right!" Ginny enthused. "It had an emblem of a snake on the back, but I didn't anything of it; I just figured that one of Sirius' relatives must've been in Slytherin." The others nodded in agreement, but Ron yawned hugely.

"Sorry," he apologized, but Hermione would have none of it.

"We all need to rest; we can figure this out tomorrow morning," she told her friends firmly.

"Hermione's right," agreed Ginny amist the boys' protests. "We'll see you in the morning." Ron gave Hermione an awkward goodnight hug while Ginny gave Harry a peck on the cheek. As they retreated up their respective staircases, the four Gryffindors' thoughts turned to Voldemort, his horcruxes, and the impending battle.

End Ch. 17

Review...please I made it _extra_ long just for you! If you give me a signed review, I'll send a reply back...I'm itching to use that new feature!


	18. Felix Felicis

Disclaimer: Hermione, Ginny and the other HP characters belong to JKR, not me. Jack and Will from PotC belong to Disney.

A/N: This is where I get creative and start to deviate quite a bit from the book. But bear with me, it should all make sense in the end.

Ch.18: Felix Felicis

A little more than a month had passed since their grand adventure with the pirates. At first Hermione missed Will terribly, but she'd been dwelling on him less and less as Ron had been giving her plenty of attention ever since they'd returned to their own time. Ever since Ron had gotten up the courage to ask her to slow dance on the pirate ship, he'd been much more relaxed around her. It was much more fun to spend time with him now that he wasn't having confidence issues. Hermione hoped that it was only a matter of time before he asked her out on a real date, perhaps to visit Hogsmeade. Ginny hadn't wanted to use a daydream charm recently either. As she was free of Dean, she and Harry had been doing a lot of studying together in the library. Hermione thought that it wouldn't be long before Harry was calling Ginny his girlfriend. _I hope they get together soon – those two make the sweetest couple!_

Over the past four weeks, they'd been in touch with Mundungus Fletcher, who was immediately able to locate the silver locket that he'd stolen from the Black mansion. The crook also helped them find a golden cup that once belonged to Helga Hufflepuff. Dumbledore suspected it was also a horcrux because he'd remembered Riddle eyeing it when he was younger. The only thing that they hadn't been able to figure out was the last horcrux (excluding the snake and Voldemort himself). While they knew that it must've belonged to either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw, after weeks of searching Harry was no closer to discovering the object than he was to escaping detentions with Snape.

It was remarkable that Harry's wand core shared the same phoenix tail-feather with Voldemort's wand, Hermione mused as she lay in bed on a Saturday morning. (Dumbledore's bird, Fawkes, had been the tail-feather donor.) This essential piece of information was exactly what the Weasley twins needed for them to invent a spell that would identify the horcruxes. If Harry cast a revealing charm fairly near the horcrux, it would glow green. Once he was sure that the object in question was indeed a horcrux, he could destroy it properly, and blast that particular seventh of Voldemort's twisted soul into a million pieces. But all their hard work would be in vain if they couldn't find that last horcrux.

"C'mon, Mione…time for breakfast," Ginny called, shaking her friend.

"I'm up…I'm up," she growled. "Must we go down this early?"

"There's no time like the present," Ginny pointed out brightly. "Besides, maybe Harry will have thought of a plan to go after the third horcrux...he said he'd work on it last night."

Hermione grumbled all the way down to the common room – she hadn't been sleeping too well over the past few days. Although Harry was known for having nightmares, she'd just had a very disconcerting one involving Ron and the Death Eaters. She wouldn't be able to stand it if something ever happened to the youngest Weasley boy. If Ron didn't ask her out soon, she was going to explode. She was sure that he had feelings for her – why couldn't he just tell her already? They reached the common room at last.

"Good morning, Harry," said Ginny, smiling at him and a sleepy Ron as they met just before breakfast.

"'Morning, Gin," Harry returned with a grin, giving Ginny an affectionate hug.

"'Morning, Ron," Hermione said brightly. Ron just yawned in response – he was never a morning person. They quickly stepped through the portrait hole and set off towards the Great Hall.

"Have you figured out a way to find the missing horcrux yet, Harry?" Hermione asked him as they sat down at the Gryffindor table for breakfast.

"No, I haven't – but perhaps we're going about this the wrong way," Harry suggested. "I doubt the horcrux wants to be found…I think we need something that will guide us to it."

"What do you mean?" Ron asked curiously, his mouth full of kipper.

"I mean I think it's time I used some of Slughorn's Christmas present," Harry said grimly. He produced a tiny, gleaming bottle from his robe pocket and poured a couple drops of the colorless solution into his pumpkin juice.

"Why, it's your Felix Felicis potion…how come you're using it now!" gasped Ginny, looking positively alarmed.

"Because I think a little luck is all I need," said Harry, drinking his juice in one fast gulp. Harry's three best friends watched him closely as the potion began to affect him. At first nothing happened, but then a confident smile slowly spread over their friend's face.

"How're you feeling, mate?" asked Ron, curious as to what it felt like after taking said solution.

"Really good," said Harry, beaming at them all. "You know I've been thinking…" the three leaned in closer so they could hear him, as he'd lowered his voice.

"We really could use some time off…all we've been doing is work, school work, and more work for the Order. How about a change of place? I say we should go visit Marvella the Marvelous's Museum of Wizarding Art - it's only a half-hour walk from Hogsmeade."

"Why would we ever want to go there?" asked Ron, skeptically.

"I just have a feeling that it's the place to be today," Harry assured him. Then he turned to Ginny. "Hey Gin, might I have a word?"

"All right," said Ginny, following him out of the Great Hall. Ron and Hermione looked at each other knowingly.

"He asked me last night if it was alright with me if he could ask her out," said Ron, confirming her suspicions.

"I'm assuming you said yes then," Hermione concluded logically. Ron nodded.

"He's my best mate…I can't think of anyone else who'd be better suited for her than Harry. He's certainly loads better than that egotistical git Michael Corner." Ron wrinkled his nose in disgust and Hermione laughed.

"It figures that he needed a bit of mental reassurance from Felix to ask her out," Ron grumbled but Hermione just smiled. Just then Harry and Ginny returned holding hands, each looking considerably happier than they had been before. But before Ron and Hermione could congratulate them, they received some rather loud jeers and catcalls coming from the Slytherin table.

"Oi, lovebirds!" yelled Draco Malfoy, egged on by Crabbe, Goyle, and Nott.

"Shut it Malfoy," said Harry quietly, putting his arm around Ginny. The entire hall grew quiet, as the students were unabashedly eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Hey Weasley," Malfoy continued, "How much is Potter paying you to be his girlfriend? I didn't know your family was that desperate…" At the mention of his family, Ron's ears grew red. He started to stand up but Hermione held him down.

"Look Malfoy," threatened Ginny in a dangerously low voice. "I wouldn't say any more if I were you…or I just might slip a few drop of shrinking potion into your morning pumpkin juice. And from what I hear, certain things of yours cannot afford to be shrunk." She raised her eyebrows for affect and Harry howled with laughter at Draco's pained look. Hermione couldn't decide whether to grin or frown, and Ron just stared incredulously at his sister.

"Let's go, Harry," smirked Ginny and they walked away, still laughing at the red-faced Slytherin. Hermione and Ron followed soon after…they wanted to congratulate Ginny for putting Malfoy in his place.

"That was bloody brilliant," Ron gasped out as soon as they'd safely reached the common room. Ginny shrugged.

"I've been waiting to embarrass him for years…now just seemed like the perfect time." She grinned at Harry who visibly blushed.

"So, are we still on to visit the art museum?" Hermione asked, breaking the unsettling silence.

"Sure," said Ginny, smiling at Harry again. "Let me just go grab my winter cloak." The girls retreated to their dormitories, dressing in layers as they'd be braving the cold weather while walking to the museum.

"I can't believe Harry asked you out!" exclaimed Hermione. "You've had a crush on him since…"

"…the first day I met him, before I even came to Hogwarts," Ginny admitted wryly. Seeing Hermione's wistful look, she changed the subject.

"I wonder why Harry wants to go to this museum so badly?" she wondered aloud, pulling on a red and gold scarf.

"No idea," answered Hermione. "But we just have to trust him…I'm sure he knows what he's doing. Or rather the potion knows," she added as they raced down the stairs. The boys were waiting for them, dressed in their warmest clothing.

"Shall we?" said Harry, offering his hand to Ginny who nodded at her boyfriend.

"Let's go," answered Hermione, pulling on Ron's sleeve to get his attention. Ron didn't seem like he'd adjusted to the idea that his sister was going out with his best friend. But he followed them through the portrait hole without any unnecessary comments.

Although the blowing wind and snow made the trek almost unbearable, (Ron lent Hermione his maroon wool hat since she'd misplaced hers) they made it to the museum without any real trouble. As usual, the group looked to Harry as to what they were to see first.

"Oh I dunno," Harry answered casually. "I think we should just sort of wander around a bit. See if anything strikes our fancy." Shrugging, they followed their friend into one of the more popular wings that housed modern wizarding art. Several wizards and witches noticed the presence of the Boy-Who-Lived, but luckily no one approached Harry asking for an autograph. Sighing with relief, Hermione let out a breath she didn't know she was holding when the patrons gave Harry and his friends some well deserved space.

Once they began to look at the exhibits, Hermione had to raise her eyebrows at some of the more abstract pieces, such as a figure of a house-elf made entirely of Bertie Bott's Every-flavor Beans. But she couldn't help but admire Olga Oglestead's famous painting of Merlin handing wizard-kind the secrets of magic. Turning a corner, right in front of them loomed an enormous gleaming glass statue of Rowena Ravenclaw.

"Ooh, it's beautiful!" Ginny sighed, staring up at the giant glass witch who smiled at all who gazed upon her. Harry ogled the statue curiously – his eyes were drawn to the only part of Rowena that wasn't transparent, her heart. It was a vivid jewel-encrusted crimson in stark contrast to the rest of her body. It seemed that the artist had wanted the focus of the statue to be the witch's heart, symbolically of course.

"Yes, Rowena Ravenclaw was known for being a great philanthropist during her time; her glowing red heart is an allegory for her fabled generosity," Hermione explained to Harry after noticing his puzzled expression, sounding like she'd swallowed a textbook as usual.

After glancing around furtively and making sure no one was watching besides his friends, the Boy-who-lived muttered something and gold sparks shot out from his wand at the statue.

"Harry, no way – what are you doing?" Hermione moaned frantically. "You can't deface that statue…it's a famous piece of art…" She trailed off when she saw the heart give off a faint green glow. Ginny's, Ron's, and Hermione's jaws dropped when they realized its meaning.

"I think we've found our horcrux," said Harry triumphantly.

"Wow," breathed Hermione, still starting at the glowing heart. "How did you know what to look for, Harry?" He grinned at them.

"Felix suggested that I test it…I thought there was something awfully striking about the statue; it is Ravenclaw after all," he reminded them.

"Funny You-Know-Who wouldn't use something of Gryffindor's," mused Ginny.

"Well, I think the question we're all wondering about now," said Ron, "is where can we get more of that Felicis stuff?" Hermione bopped him in the arm.

"I think what you meant to say is how are we ever going to get the heart out of there without damaging the statue?" Harry and Ron both looked at her strangely, as if she'd gone mental.

"Hermione, it's a _horcrux_," Harry said emphatically. "I doubt the museum will care if we destroy the statue to get to a part of Voldemort's soul." Hermione smiled inwardly when she noticed that for the first time, Ron didn't flinch at the mention of the Dark Lord's name.

"All the same," began Ginny, "they probably wouldn't like the fact that Voldemort was hiding a part of his soul in their museum – it'd be bad business, not to mention it would raise suspicions as to how unsafe buildings really are from him."

"And we don't want Voldemort getting word that his horcrux was destroyed," Hermione reminded them.

"Oh yeah," Harry said slowly. "I didn't think of that…"

"So what do we do?" prompted Ron. "We can't just leave it there."

"No we can't," said Hermione, grimly. "I say we come back tonight, break-in the museum, steal the horcrux, and replace it with a fake heart." Everyone stared at her like she'd just suggested snogging Filch.

"You actually want to break-in to the museum?" Ron asked dubiously.

"That's what I said," Hermione repeated her plan. "You sound surprised, Ron," she teased the poor boy.

"Well, I never thought that'd you'd ever suggest that we break a law…" Ron was looking at her with a newfound respect.

"It's not something I want to do on a regular basis," she explained. "But it must be done if we are to thwart Voldemort."

"I agree with Hermione," Ginny said, giving her friend the thumbs-up.

"It shouldn't be that hard to sneak out tonight," Harry mused, warming up to the idea. "My potion doesn't stop working until midnight at least."

"So it's settled then," said Ron as they worked their way back to the museum entrance. "We can use your invisibility cloak as an extra precaution." Harry frowned as they stepped outside and the freezing air hit their faces.

"I'm not sure if it will fit over all four of us," he said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "But there is a charm that we could use instead – remember the one McGonagall put on us before we attacked the Death Eaters?"

"That would work best," Ron decided as they girls nodded.

"So when do you think we should meet tonight?" Ginny asked, hugging Harry for warmth as they walked.

"How about around eleven," Hermione suggested. "The museum closes around ten, so that should give them plenty of time to clean and lock up. Buy the time we arrive we shouldn't have to deal with anything more than a security guard." They all agreed that eleven sounded like a reasonable time and agreed to meet then.

Hermione could hardly wait until later that evening – after all, this would be her very first planned felony. She'd already transfigured one of her pillows into a heart that looked almost identical to the one in the statue. All she had to do was wait until it was time to leave. Of course Hermione was never one to wait around doing nothing…she re-read _Hogwarts, A History_ for the umpteenth time, trying to see if there were any secret ancient enchantments that Dumbledore might've forgotten that was already protecting the castle from intruders. By the time eleven rolled around, she sighed and gave up… but it was time well spent. It'd been awhile since Hermione had time for pleasure reading. Grinning, Hermione climbed out of bed, scurried over to the fifth years' dormitories and shook Ginny awake.

"Were you really asleep?" she whispered to her best friend.

"No," Ginny admitted. "I was too excited about tonight to sleep. C'mon!" The girls tip-toed down the stairs, not wanting to wake anyone at this late hour.

"You made it!" Harry and Ron greeted them eagerly.

"Quick, Hermione, the charm!" Ginny urged. Hermione, being the cleverest witch in grade six, had offered to perform the charm. Although Harry was excellent at DADA, he knew that Charms class was Hermione's forte, and that it'd be best to let her cast the invisibility charm on the four of them. She muttered the incantation, first turning Ron, then Ginny, then Harry, then herself invisible.

"Thanks a million, Hermione," said a relieved Ron. "We'd better get going." Hermione was surprised to find that they didn't meet anyone on the way out of Hogwarts; not Snape, not Peeves… not even Mrs. Norris.

"Whew, that was lucky," she breathed as they slipped out the front door, which someone had forgotten to lock.

"Of course it was lucky; you're with me," Harry said, smiling. "After this is all over, remind me to thank Slughorn for giving me the means to find a horcrux."

"I can't believe he actually joined the Order," quipped Ginny as they lit their wands so they could see in the black of night.

"Yeah, that bloke always seemed like he only cared about his own neck," Ron commented. "I wonder how Dumbledore persuaded him – perhaps with a year's supply of crystallized pineapple?" Everyone sniggered, as the rotund potions professor was known for his unusual culinary tastes. Hermione tightly clutched her fake horcrux as they set out.

In no time at all they'd reached the front of the deserted museum. All of the lights were off except one in the foyer, which alerted them to the location of the security guard. Hermione raised her wand to break the lock on the front door, but Ron laid a hand on her wand arm, shaking his head no. She shivered and not entirely because of the cold. _This is getting ridiculous,_ she thought…_he needs to ask me out already!_ Before anyone could stop him, Ron knocked on the museum's door.

"Special delivery!" he urgently called. "Hurry up, I'm freezing out here!" His friends stared at him as if he'd just been obliviated, but they changed their tune when they heard footsteps approaching.

"I'm coming," the security guard grumbled as he unlocked the door. Hermione quickly cast the counter-charm so that Ron could be seen.

"Stupefy!" cried Ron, and the guard slumped to the floor, stunned.

"Idiot," Harry said, shaking his head in disbelief that the guard would fall for the oldest trick in the book.

"How think can you get?" Ron agreed, grinning in amusement as he and Harry moved the man out of the doorway and inside the museum. Leaving the unconscious man on the floor, the group quickly found the statue of Rowena Ravenclaw.

"Accio horcrux!" Yelled Harry, summoning the horcrux from its resting place. To Hermione's dismay, this left a crack in the statue near the empty hole where its heart used to lie. She levitated the fake heart into place as whispered,

"Reparo!" The statue's crack quickly disappeared, leaving it looking as good as new. Not wishing to wait another moment, Harry set the horcrux on the marble floor and cried,

"Deletrius!" The jeweled heart exploded into a thousand tiny pieces, littering the tile with debris. Ginny performed a vanishing charm and then rushed to Harry, who was moaning on the floor and clutching his side.

"Not again," she clucked, worriedly eyeing her boyfriend as he took shallow breaths. Ginny produced a special rejuvenating tonic that Harry always had to take after destroying a horcrux.

"Why does it always affect him like this?" she asked Hermione sadly as Harry slowly gulped down the tonic.

"I don't know, Ginny," she said sadly. "It probably has something to do with him encountering very powerful dark magic."

"But why does he have to do it every time?" she fretted. "I'd gladly destroy those stupid horcruxes…"

"You know it doesn't work like that, Gin," Harry weakly told her. "Dumbledore already tried. It has to be me, using my wand, or else Voldemort's soul will resist the charm. Don't worry, I'm already feeling better, see?" He staggered to his feet, showing her that he could stand up on his own. Hugging him fiercely, she continued to worry.

"But what happens when you have to fight him? You'll have to kill both the horcruxes in Him and the snake within such a short period of time of each other…it will weaken you considerably for when you have to fight Him." Harry nodded grimly, no doubt he'd already thought of this.

"I'll deal with it when it happens," he told them.

"Good attitude, Harry," said Hermione, patting him on the back. "There's no use fretting about it now."

"Oi! He's waking up!" Ron called from the other room. Hermione cast the counter-invisibility charm on the two of them, and then on herself before they went to aid Ron. With Harry leaning heavily on Ginny, they rushed into the foyer to find Ron helping the man to his feet.

"What happened?" asked the guard, rubbing the back of his head. And then he noticed Harry; his eyes performed the familiar upward flick to his scar.

"By jove, you're Harry Potter!" he exclaimed. But then he furrowed his brow. "What are you four doing here after hours?" Ginny was the one with a knack for getting out of trouble, so she answered him.

"We're staying late working on a report for school," she told him calmly. "Dumbledore owled the museum and everything…don't you remember?"

"I'm afraid not," the man admitted, still rubbing his head.

"That's a large bump you got there…you must've hit your head harder than you thought if you don't remember that," said Ron oozing fake concern.

"Perhaps you should come back to school with us and have the nurse check you out?" Harry suggested. The man went scarlet at being addressed by the Boy-Who-Lived.

"No, I'm sure I'll be fine," he assured them. "Thanks for the offer, though."

"We really should be going," said Hermione, finally. "I have all the information that I need, don't you?" The others nodded, and before the man could protest, they left the museum. Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione ran all the way to Hogsmeade, not stopping in case the guard decided to follow them.

"Nice job everyone," said Harry, panting as they ducked into the _Three Broomsticks_ to catch their breath. "That was bloody brilliant…we've now succeeded in getting rid of three horcruxes."

"It was indeed," echoed Hermione. "Great job with the 'special delivery' thing, Ron - I never would've thought of that."

"Thanks," he said quietly, brushing her off, but Hermione could tell that he liked the attention from her.

"Shouldn't we be getting back to school?" asked Ginny, yawning. "I don't know about you all, but I'm exhausted."

"Good idea, Gin," said Harry, and Ron and Hermione agreed. They trudged through the snow up to the castle and slipped in through the front door. But their walk back up to Gryffindor tower was not a smooth one…they had to hide in order to narrowly escape being discovered by Filch.

"I guess that Felix Felicis stuff wore off, eh?" Ron asked as the Fat Lady let them into the common room.

"Yeah, it is after midnight," Harry pointed out.

"Hey Harry, can I borrow your _Quidditch throughout the Ages_?" Ginny asked her boyfriend. "I want to read up on some maneuvers for the next match against Hufflepuff."

"Sure thing, Gin," Harry said, in a rather rehearsed way, and they dashed up the stairs together, leaving Ron and Hermione alone together.

"Er, Hermione," started Ron. "I have something I want to ask you." He looked at her intently and she gave him her full intention.

"Go on, then," she encouraged him, having a pretty good idea what was going on, with Harry and Ginny's sudden exit and all.

"We've been friends for a long time…and, well, I was wondering if you'd like to –" Ron was cut short when Dumbledore burst through the portrait hole.

"Good evening, Headmaster," said a very surprised Hermione, annoyed that he'd interrupted Ron.

"Evening, Hermione. Evening Ron," said Dumbledore, nodding at them in turn. Hermione thought they were going to be scolded for being out of bed, but she was very wrong.

"I've decided to call an emergency meeting of the Order. I'm afraid I must move all of the youngest members to the headquarters for a few days…can I count on you two to alert the Gryffindors?"

"Yes sir," promised Ron as the Headmaster whispered the Order's new secret location in his ear.

"Very good," smiled Dumbledore. "Carry on." He left them staring after him, dumbstruck.

"I'd better go tell the boys," said Ron, leaving a disappointed Hermione alone in the common room. Sighing, Hermione went to her dormitory to tell Ginny and Harry the news, and to awaken the female members of the Order.

Soon, about half of Gryffindor house had assembled in the common room, carrying various loads of luggage. Among them were Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny of course, along with Dean, Seamus, Neville, Parvati, (Lavender had refused to come) Katie Bell, and Colin and Dennis Creevy.

"Where are we going, Harry?" asked Dean, who was clutching a small suitcase. After some discussion with Ron, Harry worked out that they were supposed to travel by floo. In response, Harry grabbed a fistful of floo powder, stepped into the crackling fire, and yelled,

"Gringotts Wizarding Bank!" The green fire whisked his body away, and one by one, the Gryffindors followed suit, traveling to visit the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix for the first time.

End Ch. 18

Please review! There's only one more chapter left…and perhaps an epilogue!


	19. Voldemort Returns

Disclaimer: Hermione, Ginny and the other HP characters belong to JKR, not me. Jack and Will from PotC belong to Disney.

A/N: Except with Dumbledore being alive, this is my guess as to how they will defeat Voldemort in the seventh book. I wonder how close I really am…

Ch. 19: Voldemort Returns

"Woah, this place is huge!" Ron enthused, gazing at the vastness of the basement of Gringotts Wizarding Bank. Hermione and Ginny nodded in agreement. "I wonder why Dumbledore moved the headquarters of the Order here?"

"Harry said that Dumbledore let slip the location of the headquarters to one of Voldemort's spies," Ginny answered. She motioned to her boyfriend who was off to the side, conversing with one of their old DADA teachers, Remus Lupin and a man that Hermione didn't recognize.

"Dumbledore wanted to be ready for them when they attack, and he said he'd rather the bank sustain damage instead of Hogwarts," Hermione added. "It makes sense to me…he wants the school to run as usual after we defeat Voldemort." Ron didn't even flinch at the name…which was a vast improvement from a couple months ago.

"Hey, you'll never guess what Remus just told me!" cried Harry, who rushed over to join his friends.

"He's killed Voldemort single-handedly?" Ron joked. Harry frowned, shaking his head.

"No, something even better. He and Tonks are going to get married after the battle and he's invited me and my friends to the wedding!"

"That's really excellent," smiled Ginny, and Hermione had to agree.

"Hey, aren't Bill and Fleur going to get married soon also?" Hermione asked and Ron nodded.

"Yeah, but not for at least a month…Mum wants them to wait that long so she can prepare the house…we're having it in the backyard."

"Harry, who was that man you were talking to with Remus?" His girlfriend asked.

"Oh, that was Regulus Black…yes, he's related to Sirius. He's his long-lost younger brother," Harry informed them, chuckling when their jaws dropped.

"But where's he been all this time?" Hermione couldn't contain her curiosity. "I thought he was a Death Eater, that he died along time ago in the first war?" Harry shook his head.

"Apparently not…you see, Regulus joined the Death Eaters at his parents urging, but that was before anyone knew what Voldemort really stood for. As soon as Regulus found out what horrible deeds he'd have to commit, he wanted to back out."

"But you can't just resign," said Ginny, frowning. "Voldemort would've killed him if he refused to do his bidding!"

"He knew that too," Harry said, nodding. "But Regulus was in a perfect position to gather information for the other side…he was the Order's first inside spy."

"But what about Snape?" Hermione asked, confused. "I thought he was our spy." Harry sighed.

"He is…but he only turned back to the good side after he heard that Voldemort was planning to murder my parents. Regulus was the original spy. As to where he'd been all this time, well," Harry winced, "He's been kept prisoner in Macnair's basement. The Order found him there almost starving to death after they killed Macnair in the last skirmish."

"That's horrible!" Ron turned white, and Harry nodded grimly. "But at least he's fine now…he's a really nice bloke. I told him that the Black house and Sirius' fortune rightfully belongs to him, but he refused." Harry was about to tell them about how Regulus was so proud of the way Harry got his brother released from Azkaban and that he didn't blame him in the slightest for Sirius' death, but he was cut short.

"Everyone take a seat!" Dumbledore called, motioning to the long table that occupied the center of the large room. Hermione, Ginny, Harry, and Ron scrambled to get a seat. The younger members of the Order barely contained their excitement at attending their first official meeting – Ernie and Hannah Abbott could hardly keep quiet. Beside Harry sat Tonks, Lupin, Regulus Black, Slughorn, Hagrid, Madam Maxime, Mundungus Fletcher, Sturgis Podmore, Kingsley Shacklebot and the Aurors, then Fleur and the Weasley clan minus Percy who was still working for the Ministry. McGonagall sat adjacent to Dumbledore at the head of the table, and on the very end sat Snape along with a very disgruntled-looking Draco Malfoy.

"What's Malfoy doing here?" Hermione whispered to Harry, who narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"I dunno, but Dumbledore better have a damn good reason," he muttered. "I still don't trust him…he _does_ have the Dark Mark branded on his arm after all."

"Perhaps he's the bait?" Ron offered, and they shrugged.

"Could be," Ginny mused. "Though why Voldemort would waste his time retrieving a bloody coward like him is beyond me." By now, all the members had taken their seats and Dumbledore held up his hands for silence. Everyone quieted immediately.

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," he said gravely and Hermione noted there was no twinkle in his deep blue eyes. "It was imperative that we all attend for my sources tell me that Voldemort and his followers will seek us out as early as tomorrow morning." A collective gasp went up around the room but everyone settled down quickly; they knew their leader had more to say.

"I would like to take this time to welcome our new members to the Order." Dumbledore called their names out in turn, ending with Harry's.

"And now Mr. Potter would like to say a few words on the outcome of his mission." Scraping his chair on the wood floor, Harry got to his feet.

"Er, I just want to say that my training session was a great success," the Boy-Who-Lived reported. "I'm very pleased with everyone's overall improvement, and I'm confident that each and every one of our new members can defend themselves if we are forced to fight." Nodding at them, Harry took his seat.

"Excellent," said Dumbledore. "Because I hope that tomorrow's confrontation with evil will be our final battle." This brought on another wave of mumbling, and Dumbledore waited until it subsided until he continued.

"Now when Voldemort attacks, he'll not only have his Death Eaters but other creatures supporting him as well, such as Werewolves and Giants. And we can't forget his army of Inferi – but they are nothing but corpses, and not to be feared. They will not come near you if you shoot fire at them." Hermione had remembered this from one of the many books that she'd read; it was a valuable piece of advice.

"Speaking of Giants, Hagrid, have you and your brother Grawp decided how to stop the Giants from attacking us when Voldemort comes?"

"Aye, I 'ave, sir. Don' yeh worry about tha'," Hagrid promised, and Grawp, who was sitting on the floor added a growl of agreement. The headmaster nodded in relief.

"Good. What about the extra supplies? Fred and George, did you find some?"

"We did, Professor," Fred answered cheerfully. "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes at your service, with no charge."

"Plenty of Peruvian powder and fireworks to go around," George added.

"Magnificent," said Dumbledore, giving them a tiny smile. Then he turned his attention back to the entire group.

"I have decided to break you into groups equally distributed of new and old members for when the battle arrives. I advise you to stick with your group members at all times – they will be your protection, your backup for when the Death Eaters arrive."

"But how will we know when they get here, sir?" Asked an overeager Ernie MacMillan.

"The house elves and goblins are guarding the few entrances to the bank," Dumbledore explained. "As soon as they spot anything even remotely suspicious, we'll know."

"Now, for the groups… In group one we have Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, myself, and Regulus Black. In group two…" Hermione didn't stay to here the rest of the groups being called. Instead she joined her friends in a corner of the room.

"Hermione, it's so good to see you," Lupin greeted her, his arm around his fiancée. Tonks beamed back at the group.

"I hope you all will come to our wedding," Tonks urged, as Lupin gave her a light squeeze.

"We wouldn't miss it for the world," Hermione assured her. Eventually, Dumbledore had finished calling out the groups and came to join them.

"Harry, may I have a word?" He shrugged.

"Alright." Hermione saw them disappear into an adjacent room, but soon forgot about them when Regulus Black introduced himself. He didn't look that different from Sirius, although his hair was much shorter.

"It's so good to meet all of you," he said, smiling tiredly. "It seems like I've been held in captivity my whole life – I can't tell you how exciting it is to be back fighting once again." Although his eyes still carried a haunted look, determination showed on his once fair features.

"So does Harry know how he's going to destroy the last two horcruxes?" Lupin anxiously asked, suddenly all business.

"He's got a plan," Ginny assured him as Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix flew overhead. "I'm just afraid that after destroying both, he won't have enough energy to fight Voldemort," she fretted. "He drank some of his Felix Felicis and gave the rest to us, but will that be enough?"

"I doubt it," said Regulus quietly. Rummaging through his pockets, he soon pulled out a tiny flask. "Have him drink a few drops this after he destroys each horcrux," he instructed, hanging Ginny the flask. "It's the Draught of Strength."

"Thank you," she said gratefully. "But are you sure this will really help him?" Regulus nodded grimly.

"It saved my life countless times, especially when I found one of His horcruxes." Briefly, he told the story of how he found the silver locket in a cave not too far from Hogsmeade.

"Dumbledore thought a horcrux was still there!" exclaimed Hermione. "He was going to check but before he had the chance, a storm came and the entrance caved in." The group was still discussing horcruxes by the time Harry and Dumbledore returned. Hermione noticed that while Harry seemed to be quite content with what transpired behind closed doors, Dumbledore looked older than ever. While his face tried to mask it, she could tell that he was upset about something; his eyes held a quiet sadness that she hadn't seen before. She wasn't the only one to notice their leader's odd behavior.

"Sir, is everything alright?" Tonks asked worriedly. Dumbledore stole a quick glance at Harry and opened his mouth to respond but he was interrupted by a high-pitched squeak.

"Harry Potter, sir, He is here!" cried Dobby, sprinting into the room. "He and his followers came to the side and back entrances," the house elf elaborated as he caught his breath.

"It's true sir," Winky squeaked, trailing into the room along with several other house elves. "He sees us!"

"Thanks…get into position," muttered Harry as the house elves frantically scattered.

"Stick together, everyone!" Dumbledore bellowed after another glance at Harry. "Group one, come with me to the back entrance. Group two, to the side, and the rest of you stay here." Dumbledore and Harry led the way to the back entrance, and Hermione braced herself for the impact of the break-in. Someone blasted the door apart and she covered her eyes as debris went flying. As the smoke cleared, Hermione could just make out the face of Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Kill them!" she shrieked. "But leave the boy for our master!" Eagerly, half of the Death Eaters streamed into the bank's basement. Behind the Death Eaters marched the Werewolves, led by Fenrir Greyback. Hermione remembered Lupin telling them once that Greyback was the wolf that bit him when he was a little boy.

"Ah, Lupin…so good to see you," snarled Greyback, his lips curled into a sneer, his wand raised. "But I see you have betrayed your kind…you're fighting on the wrong side I'm afraid."

"No, Fenrir, I believe you're mistaken. I'm on the right side," Lupin retorted coolly, his wand at the ready. Behind them, Bellatrix and Tonks were squaring off.

"You're mine, Lestrange," Tonks threatened, her wand already drawn as they prepared to duel. "You got away last time…this time you won't be so lucky."

"I don't think so my dear," Bellatrix cackled evilly. "You soon will meet the same fate as your stupid cousin." Hermione could hear crashes and bangs of the Weasleys' fireworks coming from the other rooms…she only hoped that her friends were faring well against Voldemort's agents of evil.

Behind the Werewolves came five of the tallest beings Hermione had ever seen – Giants! And from the looks of them, they were angry. Out of nowhere, Grawp appeared with Hagrid in tow. Although she believed Grawp to be an enormous being, compared to the evil Giants he seemed to be the runt of the litter. Hermione ducked behind a chair as one of the Werewolves shot a hex at her.

"Stupefy!" she screamed, and her spell struck the wolf on the behind. He fell over with a loud thud, but Hermione didn't bother to watch, as she'd turned her attention to the Giants gathering around Grawp, glaring menacingly at one of their own who deserted them.

"Hey fellas," Hagrid called. "My half-brother wants ta challenge one o' yeh for the position of Grog." Grawp translated in a series of barks and growls, and the Giants seemed to accept his proposal. Hagrid led them over away from the main battle, and Grawp faced off against the tallest and fattest of the five Giants.

"Oh no!" cried Ginny, pointing at the back entrance. "Look!" Dozens of Inferi crowded the entrance, each battling their neighbor for a chance to capture a living person.

"Impedimenta!" someone cried, but it didn't seem to slow the fleshy corpses.

"Lacarnem Inflamari!" Hermione yelled, remembering Dumbledore's tip, and soon the others added their spells of fire, blocking the Inferi from coming any closer. Continuing to enforce the spell, Hermione helped Ron fight off Crabbe, while Harry and Ginny were tackling Goyle and Nott together. She saw that Harry was letting Ginny do most of the fighting…_good, he's conserving his strength for later_, she thought.

Off to Hermione's right, she spied McGonagall and Dumbledore fighting back to back, each taking on two death eaters. It seemed like they were winning, especially as Snape rushed to join the fray, with Malfoy lagging behind. But that all changed when suddenly the fire parted, making way for an enormous python that Hermione knew to be Voldemort's pet, Nagini. Slithering past the Inferi, the giant snake hissed in parseltongue, which was directed at Harry. Surprisingly, Harry didn't answer back but just stared at the snake in defiance. Suddenly, Ron squeezed her hand.

"It's him," he whispered, motioning towards the doorway. Hermione bit her tongue to stop from screaming, for indeed the most feared Dark Wizard in a century now stood inside the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Fawkes gave a bitter cry and Hermione now knew why so many feared Voldemort's name. He evoked fear – his hideous face disgusted her. The tiny red slits for eyes, the barely existent nose, the deathly white complexion…he certainly looked evil. In his right hand he clutched his twisted wand.

"Albus Dumbledore," the evil one hissed. "I have long waited for this day – soon Potter will be destroyed and I will be invincible. Then you, old man, will die after I kill the remains of your puny Order."

"I believe you are mistaken, Tom," Dumbledore said quietly. Voldemort scoffed and turned his attentions elsewhere.

"You!" he breathed, looking outraged at a defiant Regulus Black. "I was going to bring you the heads of the Potters and then kill you…I won't be making that mistake again." He raised his wand at Regulus, who immediately cast a shield charm. But that was no match for the Dark Lord.

"Crucio!" he shrieked and Regulus screamed in agony. After a few terrible moments, Voldemort relented. "That was just a taste of what's to come, traitor!" Poor Regulus could only moan in response. Then Voldemort spotted Malfoy, who was trying to blend in with the battle.

"Malfoy! Boy, get over here and serve your master!" Voldemort screeched and obligingly albeit reluctantly Hermione noted, Draco approached his master.

"What is thy bidding, my Lord?" Draco asked, his voice wobbling.

"I will overlook your desertion for now," Voldemort muttered angrily. "To redeem yourself and the Malfoy name, you must kill this traitor. Now!" His arm shaking, Malfoy raised his wand.

"Draco, think about what you are doing!" Regulus yelled. "You don't have to do this…you don't belong to him. Don't listen to him…you still are free to make your own choices!"

"Shut up!" Malfoy yelled, but Hermione could see the indecision in his eyes.

"We don't have all day," Voldemort growled dangerously, and Malfoy gritted his teeth. Shaking his head in frustration, the man who was once Tom Riddle stepped away from the scene.

"Stun him," he ordered one of his Death Eaters, Rodolphus Lestrange. "I'll torture him later," Voldemort said offhandedly as he strode towards Harry. As she and Ron had just hexed Crabbe, Hermione watched in horror as the Death Eater cried,

"Stupefy!" But Regulus wasn't affected by the stunning spell – Malfoy had jumped in front of it at the last second. Draco fell to the floor, stunned. Amazed at what had transpired, the Death Eater tried to stun Regulus, but he was too quick for him.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Regulus roared, and the Death Eater hit the ground locked in the body-bind. Sirius's younger brother raced over to Ron and Hermione, who covered him on both sides.

"Did my eyes play tricks on me or did Malfoy just sacrifice himself?" Ron asked incredulously.

"What do you know; he turned out to be good after all," Ginny mused, while Harry and Dumbledore went to face Voldemort. Goyle and Nott had accidentally stunned each other, which gave Ginny the chance to join her friends.

"Potter," acknowledged the Dark Lord, bowing. "Last time we met I was too easy on you…I won't be making that mistake again! Prepare to meet your family!" He snarled, his wand raised high above his head.

"Expelliarmus!" cried Harry, not wasting anytime.

"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort bellowed, and instead of their wands connecting as Harry had told them they would, the deadly green burst of light hit Harry right in the chest, knocking him off his feet. Harry fell to the ground, dead. Then Voldemort turned towards Dumbledore, who was crying freely.

"No!" cried Ginny in despair as Voldemort let out a cold, high-pitched cackle. "Harry, I love you…please don't leave me," she wailed, clutching his limp body. Hermione's mind was too numb to think…what if it was just a trick, some part of Harry's plan to defeat Voldemort. He was still alive somewhere; he just had to be!

"Ron, is he…" Hermione couldn't finish her sentence before collapsing in his arms.

"He…he's gone," said Ron, his calm voice sounding foreign to Hermione's ears as he stroked her hair and patted her back comfortingly.

Letting out an ear-splitting wail, Fawkes the Phoenix dove straight for Nagini, who swallowed the fiery-red bird in one gulp. Hermione covered her mouth in anguish – was everyone on the good side dying? But just as the mammoth snake was licking its lips in satisfaction, its mid-section caught fire. _Fawkes must've planned that all along_, she thought, watching through her tears as the snake began to burn from the inside. Consumed by Phoenix flames, the snake soon was no more. _The snake was dead; now the horcrux can be destroyed,_ she thought wildly. _But Harry's dead,_ she thought with despair._ But what does it matter; he was the only one who could destroy the horcruxes._

"Mione, look!" Ron cried, pointing to Harry's body. Daring to hope, Hermione glanced at the crumpled form of their friend. She gasped when it began to change, slowly lengthening…then Harry's scar disappeared and he grew a long, white beard.

"He's starting to look like…Dumbledore?" she whispered, confused.

"Hermione, he is Dumbledore," Ginny said, sadly, but in a voice of hope. "Harry lives!" She pointed to where the headmaster had been standing, but in his place stood their black haired, green eyed friend. Voldemort regarded this scene in shock, clearly believing that he'd killed Harry before.

"Distract him!" Harry yelled, running over to the dead snake and summoning the horcrux.

"Crucio!" cried McGonagall, and Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Regulus, and the other members of the Order joined in. As the Death Eaters in the other room had apparently been defeated, Neville and Luna came in, and maintained the spell that kept the Inferi away. Tonks and Lupin, having killed their opponents joined in the battle, stunning werewolves left and right. Charlie, Fred, and George battled the remaining Death Eaters.

"Ahhh!" Voldemort shrieked, clearly in pain - for even a powerful Dark wizard such as he couldn't block the Cruciatus Curse that was being shot at him from every angle. Seeing that Voldemort was no longer bent on killing him at the moment, Harry acted.

"Deletrius!" Harry cried, and the horcrux in the snake was no more. Ginny rushed over to give him the Draught of Strength, but out of nowhere, Peter Pettigrew summoned the bottle from her hands and threw it out of reach. Laughing maniacally, mousy Wormtail advanced towards the weakened Harry, his wand raised for the kill. _No!_ Thought Hermione desperately, but she was all the way on the other side of the room…there was no way she could make it over to him in time. Lupin was the first person to react. Immediately, he stepped between Wormtail and the Boy-Who-Lived.

"You shall not harm him Wormtail…put your wand down. Do it," he commanded softly. "It's not like you've got it in you to kill him…I know you only joined His side to live. You never meant for Lily and James to die, but you were too cowardly to stop him from drawing information from you," Lupin pointed out sadly. Incensed by his truthful words, Peter growled,

"Get away from him, Lupin!" And before Remus could back away, Pettigrew reached out and grabbed his former friend's arm with his silver hand.

"Owwww!" Lupin howled in anguish, and Hermione knew exactly why he'd reacted so strongly to being grabbed. For werewolves were very sensitive to silver – if the substance touched their skin they would die from poisoning. She shot a well aimed hex at Rodolphus Lestrange, who was about to harm Harry, and he fell to the floor.

"Nooooo!" Tonks screamed, running over to her fiancée, ripping his arm from Pettigrew's grip. "Remus, love, can you hear me?" She asked frantically, as beads of sweat began to form on his forehead and his eyes were shut.

"My dear Nymphadora," he whispered as Tonks caressed his face. "I would've given you the life you deserved," he croaked, and she sobbed into his chest.

"True love; how touching," hissed a cold voice. Tonks stiffened in fear…Voldemort had somehow escaped from being tortured and was now observing the heartbreaking scene.

"Go, my dear," rasped Lupin, wincing as the poison took over his body. "Leave me, save yourself!"

"No, I'm not leaving you," she vowed, her wand raised, ready to defend her love to the end.

"Stand aside, silly girl," shrieked Voldemort. "Stand aside and let me kill the last of James Potter's friends...he will die knowing I'm about to kill the last of the Potters." There was a flash of green light and when the smoke cleared, it was Tonks, not Lupin who had been hit. Her body lay as still as stone, draped over Lupin.

"I'll see you soon, my love," Remus whispered, and then he breathed his last when Voldemort killed him as well.

"No!" yelled Harry, spurned into action by this terrible scene. Voldemort turned his wand on Harry at the sound of his voice, but Pettigrew took it in the chest instead. Harry had no time to fathom why Peter had sacrificed himself for him, although he thought it had to do with being the one who caused the last of the Marauders to die.

"Accio Horcrux!" he cried, summoning the wretched thing from Voldemort's body. The Dark Lord stood, transfixed as Harry destroyed the last of the seven components of his soul. Led by Bill Weasley, members of the Order began to torture the Dark Lord again. One of the stunners from the Death Eaters caught Slughorn on the side, and he passed out. Parvati and Terry Boot came running to join the fray, and they too raised their wands on Voldemort.

"Harry, catch!" Hermione shouted, throwing him the flask of Draught of Strength, which she'd summoned from the floor. Sipping a few drops, Harry immediately perked up as it was a fast-acting potion. And it was a good thing too, for Voldemort had broken away again.

"Avada Kedavra!" he shrieked in fury, but this time the real Harry was ready for him. He also uttered the killing curse, and their green bolts of light connected, forming a bond between their wands. Everyone stopped what they were doing to watch as a shimmering web of green light began to form, caging Harry and the Dark Lord, their wands still vibrating. The air filled with the sound of phoenix song as the light intensified. Harry's face was contorted with a determination that Hermione hadn't seen before - slowly but surely the beads in the stream of light between their wands began to advance toward Voldemort.

"Curse him!" Harry yelled, and Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Luna, Ernie, Hannah, Parvati, Terry, the Weasley twins, Charlie, Bill, Fleur, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Madam Maxime, McGonagall, and Mundungus joined hands and cried in unison,

"Crucio!" As a curse uttered simultaneously is much more effective than uttered alone, Voldemort almost dropped his wand he was so startled. The Dark Lord yelled his fury, but their distraction seemed to be working. Harry smiled grimly as the beads in his wand continued to move forward still. Then the most astonishing thing happened. Smoky figures began to appear from the tip of Voldemort's wand. Pettigrew came first and was then followed by Lupin and Tonks.

"Kill him, Harry," they urged, as more of Voldemort's victims materialized, closing off Voldemort from view. The legs, torso, and then the head of Cedric Diggory appeared and placed his translucent hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Just a little longer, Harry…don't break the connection," he advised. Harry, whose brow was furrowed in concentration, his hands clutching his wand, could only nod. More ghost-like figures emerged from their murderer's wand, including Harry's parents. Hermione observed this odd scene, with Ron squeezing her hand in reassurance. The glimmering beads had almost touched Voldemort's wand, and the Dark Lord was beginning to panic, although his facial expression was blocked from her view by the smoky figures.

"Do it now, son!" James urged.

"We're so proud of you, Harry," whispered Lily.

At those words, Harry cried out and the beads connected with Voldemort's wand. There was a flash of green light, and both Harry and the Dark Lord were flung to the ground. Ginny ran to her boyfriend, and he stirred to her relief. Voldemort, on the other hand, didn't move at all.

"Is he dead?" Hermione asked, hardly daring to believe it.

"Only one way to find out," said Neville, who was supporting Luna, who had bruised her thigh. "Enervate!" he called, but Voldemort stayed still.

"Potter, you killed him!" McGonagall confirmed, her eyes shining with tired happiness.

"The Dark Lord is no more!" An exhausted cheer went up among the remaining members of the Order. Molly Weasley fussed over everyone, and helped Fleur tend to injuries. Fred and George hoisted a fatigued but grinning Harry Potter on their shoulders and paraded him around the room.

"Fred, George…you put him down right now!" Ginny yelled at her brothers, and they obligingly obeyed, setting him down in one of the comfy chairs at the head of the table.

"Harry, are you alright!" she asked with concern. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine…a little sore, but fine," he answered before they kissed. "But Lupin…Tonks…Dumbledore…" he trailed off as a wave of sadness wracked his body.

"Harry, we thought you were dead," said Hermione in a small voice. "I saw him kill you with my own eyes…and then your body turned into Dumbledore's…what happened?"

"He made me switch bodies with him," Harry explained with a heavy heart. "When we went into the other room just before the battle, we each drank Polyjuice Potion. That way Voldemort would think he was invincible if he thought he'd killed me, since according to the prophecy I was the only one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord. Dumbledore told me it was the only way…" he trailed off sadly as his friends pulled him into a group embrace.

"You did it, Harry," Hermione congratulated him quietly as they pulled away after a long moment. "That's all that matters – the wizarding world is now free from his reign of terror."

"You've saved us all, mate," Ron echoed, his arm around Hermione. To all who observed, it was clear that Ron loved her, and that she loved him in return.

"Yeah, but not without a price," Harry uttered somberly. They glanced around the room as the members of the Order were levitating the bodies of Dumbledore, Lupin, Tonks, Pettigrew, Snape, (who'd died heroically saving Draco from Avery) the Death Eaters and the werewolves. Also, Grawp and the other Giant that he was fighting were dead…they'd both exchanged fatal blows to each other's heads.

"He wanted ta 'elp us," Hagrid sobbed, coming inside after saying goodbye to his half-brother. "A' least he was 'appy when he died…he'd jus' won the duel."

"I'm sorry, Hagrid," said Ginny, hugging his legs. "But at least he stopped the Giants from fighting – that would've been a disaster."

"I know," said the half-giant, with tears leaking from his beady eyes. "But we were jus' getting' ta know each other; believe it or no', he was startin' ta get good a' English. An' Dumbledore was like a father ta me," he howled. Nothing they could do or say could make Hagrid feel better, so they left him alone.

"Harry, that was quite a performance," said Regulus, ambling over to the group. "We will forever be in your debt – how did you do it?" he asked. "You had to destroy both of the horcruxes in such a short span of time…"

"Well, it was just something I had to do, wasn't it?" Harry reflected quietly. "Surrender didn't enter my mind – it was either him or me, and luckily it was him that bit the dust."

"Now I know I'm not my brother," Regulus began, "but I knew how much he meant to you, being your godfather and all, but I was wondering if you'd like to come and live with me during the summer before your seventh year. I'm not trying to replace my brother – far from it," he sighed. "I just thought if you wanted to leave your muggle relatives…"

"Of course I would want to come and live with you!" Harry cried. "When do I move in?"

They hugged, and Hermione smiled through her tears. The second war was over, and things would return to normal soon…well as normal as things can be when you attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. McGonagall was to become the new Headmistress, and they would have to find replacements for the Transfiguration and DADA jobs, though hopefully the latter wouldn't be cursed anymore now that Voldemort was vanquished.

"Hermione, I'm such an idiot for waiting this long to ask you since I've liked you since first year, but will you go out with me?" Ron asked her in front of everyone.

"Oh yes, Ron!" she cried, flinging herself into his arms. "I thought that you would never ask me!" They shared a long kiss and Harry and Ginny looked on approvingly. As the students got in line to return to their school by floo, Hermione glanced at all of her friends and was convinced that love and sacrifice truly will always defeat darkness no matter what.

THE END…or is it? Who wants an epilogue where they go visit the pirates again? Let me know…if I get enough reviews then I'll write one.


	20. Epilogue

Disclaimer: Hermione, Ginny and the other HP characters belong to JKR, not me. Jack and Will from PotC belong to Disney. The Luau song that Norrington sings is also a Disney product, taken directly from the Lion King. The Chicken Dance doesn't belong to me either…

Epilogue:

Stumbling out of the Gryffindor fireplace, Hermione was mobbed by the younger students as she tried to brush the ashes off herself. Everyone was shouting, as the students who weren't in the Order wanted to know all the juicy details of the battle. They'd learned that Harry had defeated the Dark Lord, but it wasn't clear exactly how he'd achieved that awesome feat.

"Where's Harry?" Someone yelled over the din.

"Is Dumbledore really dead?" Another Gryffindor screamed.

"Give her some space!" Parvati scolded them, and ushered the younger students back so that Hermione could move out of the way of the next person due to arrive.

"Thanks," said Hermione, breathlessly as Ron suddenly appeared out of the green flames. He too was mobbed, and was beginning to look quite frazzled until he met his new girlfriend's eyes. Then he grinned and made his way toward her, all thought of the pushy crowd forgotten.

"Good heavens, Ron – you're a mess," said Hermione, brushing the soot off of him before he could protest. "You've even got soot in your hair!" He chuckled sheepishly, and let her fuss over him. Just then, the roar of the crowd was raised ten decibels.

"I'd bet ten galleons that Harry's back," guessed Ron with a smile as the green-eyed wizard was engulfed by all of Gryffindor house.

"Break it up…girlfriend coming through!" Ginny materialized in the fireplace and was somehow able to wrestle Harry away from his admirers. She led him through the crowd as the Boy-Who-Lived was in no mood to talk…his eyes carried a haunted look that reflected on the all too recent trauma.

"Follow me," said Hermione, understanding that Harry needed to go someplace where he wouldn't be disturbed. Neville and Luna hung back uncertainly, not sure if they were welcome.

"Don't be silly," said Ginny, shaking her head, motioning at them. "You're coming with us." The six friends followed Hermione out of the portrait hole until they reached their destination, the Room of Requirement.

"We can sleep in here tonight," Hermione explained, as six beds had appeared for their use. They sat in silence, just reflecting on the tragic events that had just occurred. One by one, they dropped off to sleep, exhausted from the terrible fight.

The six friends spent the next day quietly, chatting idly as they played games of exploding snap and wizard's chess. But soon they grew bored.

"I'm tired of being all cooped up in here," Ron stated. Harry just gave him an icy glare in return. Hermione knew that the Boy-Who-Defeated-the-Dark-Lord wasn't looking forward to facing the rest of the school, and that he'd rather stay in seclusion a bit longer.

"Come on, Harry, you can't hide in here forever," his girlfriend urged. "Dumbledore wouldn't have wanted you to –"

"Dumbledore's dead," Harry muttered in a hollow voice. "And therefore, I don't know what he would've wanted or not."

"Perhaps we could just stay in here another day," Hermione offered, ever the diplomat. To be honest, she wasn't wild about facing the school either.

"Or maybe we could go visit the pirates," Luna randomly suggested, which was not out of fashion for the blonde Ravenclaw at all. Neville brightened.

"We should! That way we'd get out of the room and we wouldn't have to face the school. Harry, what'd you say? Captain Sparrow is always good for a laugh, eh?" Harry gave him the tiniest of smiles in response.

"Alright…I say let's do it." Hermione pulled the time-turner out from the inside her robes where she'd been keeping it safe. Forming a circle, the six friends held hands while Hermione turned the hourglass three times. Moments later, they were transported directly onto the deck of the _Black Pearl_. They were greeted by a loud cry of astonishment coming from the direction of the ship's wheel.

"Woah!" It was Captain Sparrow alright…and he looked more than a little startled at the arrival of the six Hogwarts students. ""Ello, mates!" He said brightly. "Next time, though, can yeh send me a warning?"

"Good to see you too, Jack," laughed Ginny, who gave him a hug.

"I don't mean to be rude, but erm, why are all of yeh here?" Jack asked, gesturing to the young wizards and witches.

"Harry just defeated Voldemort, but we lost some dear friends in the process. Luna suggested that come visit you, so here we are," Hermione explained brightly.

"Well, in that case, glad to have yeh back," Jack grinned. "It sounds like a little escapism is what yeh all need. Oh, and congratulations to yeh, Harry, for finishing off Voldemort. From what I hear, that wizard was a nasty one…"

"Thanks," said Harry, grinning for the first time since the incident. "They all helped me, though."

"So, is Will here?" Hermione's curiosity got the better of her.

"No he's not," Jack answered her, shaking his head. "He moved in with the rum-burner Elizabeth after their 'real wedding' in Port Royal last week…as if my marrying them didn't count…" Jack trailed off muttering something about bias against pirates. "But don't ya worry young missy, the crew and I are on our way to pay dear William a visit. It's the day of Norrington's trial in and well…" Jack trailed off nervously, "I'll explain the rest when we dock."

"Fair enough," laughed Hermione. She could only imagine what kind of havoc that Jack would wreak during Norrington's trial, and turned towards the open sea, appreciating the lovely view.

The rest of the Gryffindors just watched anxiously as Luna approached Jack, her radish earrings swaying in the salty wind.

"I've been meaning to talk to you," she said seriously, her blue eyes fixed on his.

"Oh bugger," Jack muttered. "Am I in trouble?"

"That depends," Luna continued grimly. "Are you involved in the Rotfang conspiracy? According to my father, the conspiracy has its roots linked all the way back to your century…" After assuring Luna that he was not a part of the Rotfang conspiracy in any way, their conversation turned to the finer points of piracy.

They spent the afternoon relaxing on the _Pearl_, while the ship slowly sailed towards its destination. At one point, Anamaria showed up on deck and eyed Ginny apprehensively. However, she visibly loosened up when Ginny told Jack that she was going out with Harry.

"Good for yeh, luv!" Jack beamed at Ginny and Harry, who were sitting rather close, their backs against the ship's railing.

"I've got meself a girl as well…after you lot left, Anamaria and I got back together." He gave the tan-skinned pirate woman a hug.

"That's sweet, Jack, but you might want to pay attention to where you're going," Anamaria told him lightly, as the ship just barely missed running directly into the dock.

"Sorry, luv," Jack apologized sheepishly, and without further problems, smoothly guided the _Pearl_ into her berth.

As they disembarked, Neville began to question Jack about how they were going to mess around with Norrington.

"Well, I had something else in mind, but now that you magical lot are here, I've come up with something that's even more brilliant!" Jack gushed while the six Hogwarts followed him and Anamaria through the bustling streets of Port Royal. Their final destination was Will and Elizabeth's house, which supposedly was close to the Governor's mansion.

"What Jack means to ask you," said Anamaria, "Is if there is some sort of spell where one person can force another to say their lines simultaneously, and if so, can we use it on Norrington?"

"Yeah there sure is," said Harry, grinning. "Mione, what's it called?"

"The 'Parley-a-deux' jinx, you mean?" Volunteered Ron, who saved his girlfriend from embarrassment. Hermione had completely blanked out on that one.

"Good one, Ron," she said, smiling at him. Then she turned to Jack. "It was invented by the French; the spell allows the caster to control everything that their victim, in this case Norrington, says. Not only that, but this jinx is strong enough to control the weak minded…"

"Believe me, I know all about the French and parley. Only, to pirates, that word means something entirely different," Jack said mysteriously.

"I'll take your word for it," said Harry, shaking his head.

"Hey Jack, I've got a few ideas that you could use on bloody Norrington," A smirking Ginny offered, and they lagged behind the rest of the group so the red-haired witch could teach Jack what to say. Eventually, they arrived at the gates to the Swann mansion.

"Jack, why don't you and Anamaria wait here while the rest of us go get Will and Elizabeth," Hermione advised. "We don't want you getting caught again."

"I see yer point," Jack agreed, and watched as the others went on ahead. Hermione saw a quaint little house not too far away from the mansion and slowed down in front of it.

"Is this it?" Luna asked uncertainly.

"Only one way to find out," Neville pointed out, ringing the doorbell. Lucky for them, it was the Turner household, and Will came to the door at once, looking as gorgeous as ever.

"Hermione!" He cried, and swept her up into a friendly embrace. "It's so good to see you…and your friends as well." Will greeted each of them in turn.

"I'm really glad to see you too, Will," Hermione beamed as Elizabeth came to the door. "I trust your formal wedding went well?"

"It was lovely," Elizabeth admitted, slipping her arm around her husband. "But I have to say I much preferred being married by Jack on the _Pearl_ than by a stuffy old bishop in front of the entire town." She grimaced, but then grinned. "So how are all of you?"

"Well, Harry defeated Voldemort, and Ron and I are now going out," said Hermione, all in one breath.

"Good for you!" Will congratulated them, giving Hermione a wink as he did. After all, Will had been the one to encourage her to keep pursuing Ron.

"And Harry and I are going out as well," Ginny spoke up. "By the way, do you know why we're here?"

"Yes; Jack had something special planned for Norrington's trial – am I correct?" said Elizabeth. They nodded.

"Then where is Jack, anyway?" Will asked, frowning at his friend's absence.

"Oh no!" cried Ginny. "We left him and Anamaria waiting back there…"

Jack was beginning to get impatient. Ginny and her friends had left to collect the Turners, but were taking much longer than he'd expected. After what seemed like forever to the pirate Captain, the wizards and witches reappeared, only this time they had the newly-wedded Turners in tow.

"Jack! I'm glad you made it," cried Will, giving his pirate friend a hug.

"Are yeh kiddin'? I wouldn't miss the trial of the Dread Pirate Norrie for the world!" Jack exclaimed, and everyone laughed, especially Elizabeth. "I've wanted to humiliate that bugger for years; after all he's done to me…"

"Why am I not surprised?" Elizabeth chuckled.

"Elizabeth, darling!" Jack grinned at the lovely young Mrs. Turner. "How about a kiss for Ol' Jack?" Elizabeth just laughed and gave him a peck on the cheek. Needless to say, Jack was shocked. (He'd been expecting a slap instead.) But Captain Sparrow recovered nicely.

"Shall we go, then?" Everyone followed the Turners, who led them through the streets and alleyways to the back entrance of the courthouse. Will ushered everyone into a room on the second floor that overlooked the main courtroom where Norrington was scheduled for his trial. They could see the inside of the courtroom perfectly through the glass, but after Hermione put a charm on the glass, no one in the courtroom could see them, or hear them. But, thanks to the charm, they could hear and see everything that was going on in the courtroom.

"Ok, Jack – they're leading him in right now," Ginny informed the pirate. "Are you ready to make Norrie look like a fool?" Jack's eyes lit up in response.

"Do pirates like booty? Do wizards like magic? Do…" Jack's little speech was interrupted by Will, who shushed the over-enthused pirate.

"Shh! They're starting," he hissed, pointing at the guards who were leading Norrington up to the witness stand. Ginny performed the 'Parley-a-deux' jinx on Jack, who waited until Norrie was sworn in to make his move.

"Are you the former Commodore James Norrington?" Everyone heard the bailiff begin his interrogation of the defendant.

"No, I am the Dread Pirate Norrie!" Jack and the former Commodore yelled with enthusiasm. "I'm known for being the wussiest pirate in all of the Caribbean!"

"Excuse me?" said the bailiff, cleaning out his ears.

"I- I-I didn't mean to say that!" Norrington gasped. "I don't know what came over me…I mean of course I'm James Norrington. Please continue." The bailiff decided to proceed as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

"Mr. Norrington, please tell the court why you kidnapped Miss Elizabeth Swann Turner and her father, the Governor, and left them locked in your home in London." Jack grinned, and just before Norrington could reply, he burst out into song!

"Luau! If you're hungry for a hunk of fat and juicy meat… eat my buddy Pumbaa here because he is a treat!" Jack and Norrington sang in unison. " Come on down and dine… on this tasty swine… all you have to do is get in line! Aaaare ya achin'… fooor some bacon? Heee's a big pig… you could be a big pig too. _Oy_!"

"Erm, right," said the bailiff. The rest of the court had been stunned into silence. Behind the soundproof bewitched glass, Will, Elizabeth, Anamaria, and the Hogwarts students rolled with laughter.

"I swear, I can't believe I just sang that!" A mortified Norrington stammered. The bailiff nodded sagely.

"Moving on – what do you have to say for yourself pertaining to the accusations that you've been committing acts of piracy?"

"Marshmallows!" Cried Jack and Norrington, who fluffed up his white powdered wig. "Glorious, sweet, and squishy marshmallows!" I need some right now! Gimme, gimme, gimme!" The entire court looked at him strangely.

"Can you repeat that?" Norrington's attorney dubiously asked him.

"Where art thou _marshmallows_? Like, oh my god, _where_ are my marshmallows?" To his audience's amazement, Norrington repeated his bizarre request in several different fake-accents.

"I suppose you didn't mean to say that either," said the bailiff shaking his head. Norrington just trembled in fear, putting his hands over his mouth. Watching this hilarious scene unfold, Elizabeth was laughing so hard, she was almost crying and she had to hold onto Will for support.

"Mr. Norrington, I'll have to ask you to remove your hands so you can answer one more question," advised his lawyer. When Norrington refused to comply, the bailiff added his own two cents.

"If you don't answer this next question, the judge will automatically decide that you are guilty if you can't say anything coherent in your defense!" Whimpering, Norrington finally took his hands off his mouth.

"Now, Mr. Norrington…how were you feeling at the time of the kidnapping?" Jack proceeded to sing the chicken dance, and act out the accompanying movements.

"I don't wanna be a chicken, I don't wanna be a duck, so I shake my butt!" Norrington shook his bum and did the chicken dance in front of the entire court, which erupted into chaotic laughter. He only stopped when Jack got too tired to continue. Hermione and her friends were too far gone to congratulate Jack on his mastery of the chicken dance. Back in the courtroom, Norrington's fate was being sealed.

"The poor man is obviously insane – lock him up in the local sanitarium until he shows signs of improvement," said the judge, shaking his head. Protesting loudly, Norrington was led out of the courtroom. He was yelling something about being bewitched, but no one paid him any mind.

"Thanks Jack; that was absolutely brilliant!" Gasped Ginny, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes.

"It certainly made my day," said Hermione, grinning. Everyone else nodded in agreement.

"Anytime, luv," Jack winked at them.

"Who wants to come back to our place to celebrate?" Will said happily.

"You're all invited, of course," said Elizabeth.

"I'd love to, but I think I'm ready to go back and face the real world," Harry stated determinedly. "This was just the distraction I needed."

"Good for you, Harry," said Neville, smiling.

"I knew that coming here was a good idea," exclaimed Luna, looking cheered.

"Aw, that's too bad," frowned Jack. "I was looking forward to spending time with you lot." Then he turned to Will and Elizabeth. "But Anamaria and I will come – count us in for sure!"

"Are you sure you want to go back so soon, Harry?" Ron said, in a skeptical manner.

"You know you'll have to face everyone, and explained exactly how you killed Voldemort," Ginny reminded him.

"Not to mention there's the slew of funerals that we'll need to attend within the next few days," added Hermione.

"No, I'll be fine," Harry reassured them. "Just as long as I don't have to perform the chicken dance at Dumbledore's funeral, I think I can face whatever comes my way."

And with that, the friends from different centuries said their goodbyes, promising to visit soon. As Hermione sped back to the future, she reminded herself that she'd be returning to a Voldemort-free world, that she had wonderful, supportive friends, and a great boyfriend. Suddenly she didn't dread facing the wizarding world so much after all.

THE END

I just want to say a big thank you to all of my wonderful reviewers! I finally got around to writing an epilogue, thanks in particular to Mae-E, who urged me on with her positive email. (Thanks for making me finally write it!) I know it was a little silly, but I wanted to end on a high note, especially after the darkness in the previous chapter with so many deaths. It was really fun writing the Norrie 'torture' part, and I hope you all enjoyed it.

Look for a new PotC story coming in July called 'Revolutions of the Heart'. It's a Will/Liz romance set during the time of the American Revolution, and yes Jack will be in it as well! But above all, GO SEE PIRATES II on JULY 7TH!


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